Redesign Rebuild Reclaim
by MizHyde
Summary: After falling out of favor with The Authority, Jory Moody finds herself struggling with the things she has done. Losing her status as the Chosen Woman has made her career almost impossible to navigate. As The Authority tires of Seth Rollins, the two disregarded pillars of The Authority find allies in each other. But The Authority has some tricks up their sleeves...
1. Prologue

**_Prologue_**

 ** _August 2014_**

* * *

 _Life comes at you fast._

As she lay in a crumpled heap on the canvas staring up at the bright arena lights, the phrase ran through Jory Moody's mind over and over again like a mantra. With a weak groan, she placed her hand on the right side of her face, wincing at the pain that was beginning to work its way behind her left eye. The Chicago crowd was quiet, unsure how to react to what they had just seen. Referee Chad Patton leaned down beside her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder that did nothing to comfort her; it surprised her how much the gesture seemed to magnify her embarrassment.

He helped her sit up, the pity shining in his warm brown eyes. "Are you okay, Jordana?"

She ignored his question, her mint green eyes falling on the video screen at the top of the stage. The replay showed the aftermath of the match, of Nikki and Jory celebrating their victory of Brie and Natalya, with Nikki winning the match for the team by hitting her twin sister with the devastating Rack Attack. Both Nikki and Jory were in matching red outfits, The Authority logo emblazoned in different places. Then, Nikki turned and blindsided Jory with a hard forearm that took her down. She watched as Nikki stood over her prone body, her brown eyes narrowed. Pushing a stray strand of her hair out of her eyes, Jory huffed. It was a clear sign if she had ever seen one; she had fallen out of favor with The Authority. Nikki Bella was their new Golden Girl, their princess, the apple of their eye. She was their Chosen One now.

Standing to her feet, trying to ignore the shame that burned her skin and the sting of failure in every nerve, Jory got out of the ring without Chad's assistance. There was no music, only the crowd murmuring. It created a faint buzz in the building.

"Jordana, you suck!"

The voice was loud and clear and unmistakably male. Jory kept her gaze on the stage, not giving the man the satisfaction of acknowledging him. On the scale of awful things said to her by the fans, it was low on the spectrum, so it rolled off her. Jory made a beeline up the ramp, her hands curled into fists at her sides. She wanted to get to the bottom of things. If she was being cast out and shoved aside, she wanted to hear it from the lips of Stephanie and Hunter. After everything she had done for The Authority, everything she had sacrificed, at the very least she felt she was owed an explanation.

Nikki was already gone by the time Jory stormed through the black curtain. She moved swiftly, keeping her head down to avoid conversations with talkative producers Michael Hayes and Brian James. Through the black curtain, she walked down the three steps and found herself in the backstage area. Unwrapping the tape from her wrists, she walked briskly towards The Authority's office. Nobody made eye contact with her.

It wasn't an unusual reaction for people to look away or clear the path for Jory; she was used to everyone walking on eggshells around her. It wasn't what she wanted, but it was a price she paid for debuting as the Princess of The Authority. People were terrified to be around her, scared they would say the wrong thing and it would somehow make its way back to Stephanie and Hunter. Tonight, however, their silence and evasiveness spoke volumes. She kept her eyes ahead of her, trying to swallow the conflicting feelings of anger, shame, and disappointment that bubbled in her stomach. Jory hoped to stay calm during their confrontation.

Turning the corner, Jory was stunned to find a barricade of seven security guards blocking the hallway, all of them dressed in black slacks and yellow T-shirts, all of them middle-aged, bulky men. The tallest one stood in the middle, putting his hand out to stop her in her tracks. Startled, Jory fell back a step. Down the hall, over his shoulder, she saw Hunter and Stephanie peeking out of the office like two children eavesdropping after bedtime. When their gazes locked, Stephanie and Hunter's heads disappeared and the door closed. She opened her mouth to call out to them but found herself cut off by the tall guard.

"Ms. Moody, we've been instructed to escort you off the premises."

She blinked. "Excuse me?"

"By orders of the McMahon family, we've been asked to escort you out of the building."

"You've got to be kidding me." For a moment, Jory thought about making a scene, about calling out to Hunter and Stephanie. She thought about challenging them to come out of their office and face her. She thought about throwing garments and chairs and whatever else she could get her hands on.

Instead, she took a step back and raised her hands. "Do I at least get to clean up and get out of my gear?"

"You can do that at the hotel, Ma'am. We've been instructed to get you out of here _immediately."_

"Classic." She shook her head in disgust, running her tongue along the inside of her cheek. The contempt spilled from her mouth. "Fine. I'll get my bag and leave. Happy?"

"We'll escort you, Ma'am."

"I don't need seven people to see me out of here - I'm going," she told them, aggravated. Turning on her heels, she threw her hands in the air and stomped towards her private locker room. All seven guards followed behind her. _It's like they think I'm Batista or something - what do I need seven guards for?_ she thought. Inside the locker room, they were silent while she angrily jammed her clothing into her bag. She put on her biggest, most comfortable Blackcraft hoodie and zipped it all the way up to the neck. She put the hood up so she could keep her head down and avoid her colleagues and the fans. Like second to eighth shadows, security followed her all the way to the parking lot. They stopped to watch her get into the car. In the rear-view mirror, as she drove away, she noticed they were still watching her.

* * *

Jory arrived back at her hotel with a splitting headache, her patience fractured, and her ego on shaky legs. Pulling her hood down low and keeping her eyes down, she moved across the lobby quickly. She let out a sigh of relief when nobody approached her. The only person in the lobby was the front desk agent, and she was on the phone. The ride to the third floor was silent. She took in every detail of the elevator, from the buttons to the mirror to the floor. Her shoulders sagged when she looked in the mirror, but before she could think, the elevator doors slid open.

It was two attempts with her key-card before the light flashed green, and there was a moment of aggravation at the idea of having to go back down to the desk to get a brand new key. She walked into the room, letting the heavy door shut behind her. She left her suitcase beside the door and unzipped her hoodie, throwing it over the desk chair. Looking up, she froze when she looked at herself in the mirror, at the messy hair and running makeup.

 _I don't even recognize myself anymore_.

It was a jarring revelation, one that knocked out what little mental balance remained. The thought hit her like a freight train, and she held onto the chair with a hand. For the first time in a long time, she took a good, hard look at the woman staring back at her, and she realized almost right away that she hated what she saw.

She hated the golden blonde hair that was fried and fake, but what _they_ had wanted. She was okay with the D-cup implants, but the way they were exposed and pushed out was nothing like the old Jory. She wasn't conservative or prudish, but the way they were pushed up could have rivaled Trish Stratus. She hated the tiny red bra with The Authority logo stitched onto the left breast. She hated the glossy pink lips, the golden tan. None of it was her. For the first time in her career, she stepped back and realized she had sold her soul for the ultimate dream. The red mark on her face was a reminder that for every sacrifice she made, it had all meant nothing in the end. She sighed.

"We've fucked everything up," she told the woman in the mirror warily. "The question is how do we fix it?"

Jory wasn't stupid; moving forward was going to be an uphill battle. Becoming Stephanie and Hunter's Chosen Woman had left her without any friends or allies. Stephanie told her there were no friends in wrestling, no real friends. Being in the WWE meant that she had to be the best, like the women who came before her. The idea of being Hall of Fame tiers like Trish and Lita appealed to her so much. So she agreed to become the woman that was "best for business". In the end, it alienated her from everyone. Outside of Renee Young, she interacted with nobody. There was a fleeting thought that it was all by their design to cut her off from the WWE Universe. Instead of traveling down that train of thought, Jory looked at the woman in the mirror and sighed.

As angry and as disappointed as she was, Jory knew that she should have known better. She had grown up a fan - which she had learned was a dirty word in Hunter and Stephanie's books - and it had been her lifelong dream to join the world of WWE. She knew the treacherous histories of Hunter and Stephanie, of all the lousy things they had done to their colleagues and even to their families, but she had been so starstruck and grateful for their attention and advice that she convinced herself it would never happen to her. If they had chosen to back her, she presumed it meant that they saw her on an equal level. Now, humiliated, attacked and alone, Jory realized that she had made the same mistake as so many before. It was a bitter pill to swallow.

Reaching into her purse, she grabbed her cell phone and took a selfie, not caring about her current appearance. She made sure that she got the bruising that was beginning to form on her face. _No filter_ , she thought to herself, uploading the photo to her Instagram account, which was linked to her Twitter. _Sometimes your enemies come with smiles_ , she captioned. With the picture uploaded, she threw her phone down on the bed and retreated to the bathroom to clean herself up. It was her hope that the hot water would wash away the evening. But she knew better. Things were a mess, and it was only going to get uglier from here.


	2. Extreme Rules

**Chapter 1:**

 **Extreme Rules**

* * *

Sponsored by _Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows -_ thanks in large part to the supporting role of Sheamus as Rocksteady in the film - the 2016 edition of _Extreme Rules_ was airing live from the Prudential Centre in Newark, New Jersey. It was a crowd of close to sixteen thousand people, all of them ready for the self-proclaimed "night of the year where the WWE goes extreme." The card was stacked from top to bottom, featuring Charlotte Flair and Natalya in a submission match for the Women's Championship, Dean Ambrose and Chris Jericho in the first-ever Asylum match, and in the main event, Roman Reigns and AJ Styles were set to collide for the WWE Championship.

Once again, Jory found herself standing alone in the interview area, watching the main event on the monitor, her arms crossed over her chest and her eyes narrowed. Two weeks ago she returned after fracturing her collarbone training with Sonya Deville. It had sidelined her for nine months; the fracture had been so bad that every time she moved she re-broke her collarbone. With her first match back on WWE TV, she found herself on the pre-show against Dana Brooke with no advertisement, no fanfare, no anything. She had won, but it was clear she was going to remain as frustrated and disillusioned with her career as she was before she got hurt. It had only been two weeks before her injury that she had been denied her request for a release; it was made clear that she was under contract until they grew tired of her. She had no idea how long that was going to take; the only thing she could do was keep her head down and keep getting shoved around.

Despite her mean girl persona, Jory liked Dana. She respected Dana's tenacity, her offense, her look, and her gymnastic ability. She saw a bit of herself in Dana, who had been thrown into the fire by being yanked out of NXT too soon. Dana was one of the first girls to unfreeze her following her ejection from The Authority, though neither of them would consider the other a friend. Jory winced, thinking about the time she spent trying to be everything that Hunter and Stephanie wanted. She was begrudgingly allowed into the locker room, but she had found her bag sabotaged a time or two. Even after a year and a half removed, Jory still found herself on the outside looking in. It appeared nothing was going to change.

Pursing her lips into a narrow line, Jory shook the dark memories of her past - and kind of present - out of her head and focused on the monitor. _We picked up right where we left off, didn't we? Getting hurt fixed nothing. You're still an outcast. Nobody likes you. Nobody trusts you. Why should they? Say goodbye to the main shows, honey - they're never going to let you near anything important ever again. You'd be better off in Ring of Honor or Impact. That's if they don't drive your name down so low that you won't be worth anything when they finally pull the..._

"Hey, girly! Great match out there tonight!"

Turning her head, Jory wasn't surprised to see Renee take her place beside her, dressed in a loose-fitting black and gold spotted top, her short blonde hair in beach waves around her face. Jory offered her a tight, bemused smile. "Thanks."

Renee examined Jory from head to toe. She had already showered and cleaned up, dressed in black pants with silver buckles and her favorite Blackcraft hoodie that was beginning to show signs of wear and tear. It was at least three sizes too big for her petite frame, hanging off her almost comically. Renee always joked that Jory looked like a child inside of it. Her hair, dyed back to its natural shade of mocha brown, was pulled back into a high and messy ponytail. Renee found herself thinking about the week after she was thrown out of The Authority, at all the stares that came with Jory dyeing her hair back to its natural color. Management had a conniption because Jory hadn't gotten anyone to sign off on it. She didn't think they would have; not for Jory. To say things were tense on the two sides would have been the understatement of the century. In the end, Jory won out - they weren't going to fire her.

Renee's eyes followed Jory's to the monitor. "Have you had a chance to meet AJ yet?"

"In passing. He seems nice enough." She sighed.

"Are you okay, Jordana?"

"I'm fine." Her tone was clipped and curt and gave Renee the impression that things were not fine. She knew better than to ask any follow-up questions. She flashed Jory a reassuring smile and crossed her arms over her chest, the two standing in front of the monitor in twin positions. The interviewer was aware that she was the only real friend Jory had backstage, that forgiveness was a very long and hard process between the women's locker room and the former Princess of the Authority.

"Things getting any better with the girls?"

"A bit, I guess. At this point, I've kind of lost hope that it will ever be normal." Renee placed a reassuring hand on Jory's shoulder. Since leaving The Authority, it had been a lonely life for Jory. Inside the Authority she had been the proverbial bird in a gilded cage; outside of it, with no friends or allies, she did everything alone. In all of it, she had never spoken a word of complaint to Renee, instead opting to keep her head down and push through it. Some of the girls were dragging out their punishment. Renee knew that some of the girls backstage would have killed for the profile being in The Authority would have brought them. Even though Nikki Bella had temporarily replaced Jory - a neck injury brought her down only months later - she had been carrying a torch and a pitchfork for Jory, calling for her head in the name of the twin sister she herself had betrayed. "I mean, it's fine. It is what it is. There's a small handful who are starting to think I'm not the devil incarnate, so I guess there's that." Renee laughed.

"I've never thought that about you," Renee assured her. Jory smiled. "Who did you come with tonight?"

"I came with Bayley."

"You should tell her you're riding back with Dean and me tonight." Jory shot her a look.

"I don't know. You two probably want some alone time after that Asylum match..." Jory didn't know Dean Ambrose very well, but her first impression was that he was a little on the strange side, but not enough to be labeled completely eccentric. She thought he was aloof, quiet, and maybe a little stuck up. The way he looked at her with those intense blue eyes made her feel like he didn't trust her. She was sure that her time in The Authority had caused him to write her off in the same way he had written off his former Shield mate Seth Rollins. _It seemed like a good idea at the time, Jory, but it left your entire world in ashes_ , she thought. She had done some vile things during her time with them. She had no idea how to even begin atoning for it. But she was trying.

"Nonsense. He's fine with it."

"Is he? I don't think he likes me very much."

"Oh, don't worry about it - he's like that with everyone." Jory shot a skeptical look at Renee. "He is! Roman will tell you the same thing. Come on, Jory - why not ride with us to the next town?"

"Because I'm with Bayley."

"Are you scared to rearrange with her? I'll do it." She pulled her phone out of the waistband of her pants and shot a message to Bayley. Jory felt a twinge of frustration, but she kept herself in check. "I'm not taking no for an answer tonight. I even told Bayley it's my idea. See?" Renee held the phone up so Jory could see the screen. Jory shook her head.

"You are impossible."

"Dean says the same thing. He got used to it. You will, too."

"Great. I guess that's that, then. I'm going to get a coffee. Did you want one before you have to report for the after show?" she asked. Renee shook her head. Jory left the interview area, holding in her frustrated sigh until she was out of Renee's earshot. Her friendship with Renee was a strange bedfellows situation; the two women were polar opposites, but for some undefinable reason they seemed to click. Jory was still trying to figure it out.

Turning the corner, she narrowly avoided getting knocked over. "Hey! Whoa..." she trailed off. Turning, she caught a brief glimpse of black and blonde hair running towards the black curtain that led out into the crowd. Her eyes narrowed at the figure, but he disappeared from her view quickly. Fascinated, her quest for coffee was abandoned. _Well, I don't think I want to miss this_ , she thought to herself. She made a beeline back to the interview area, where Renee was still standing.

"That was fast," she commented. Her eyes flickered down to Jory's empty hands. "Where's your coffee?"

"Never mind the coffee - I think I almost got mowed down by Seth Rollins."

"What? Shut the front door." Their discussion was cut short by the sound of the bell ringing on the monitor. Roman Reigns had defeated AJ Styles. "Are you sure?"

"I didn't see his face, but I can't think of anyone else with the black and blond hair." They kept their gazes on the monitor. Roman was standing in the middle of the ring, holding the title high over his head.

Despite being in The Authority at roughly the same time, Jory had never exchanged a word with Seth. If people thought she had received the rock star treatment from management, it was nothing compared to what Seth received as the Golden Boy. Seth liked to call himself the architect of The Shield, and he liked to take credit for the faction's success. At one time they had been in The Authority pocket, and when they left, Hunter vowed to get them in line. It was just before she had made her debut; Hunter had recruited his old stablemates Dave Batista and Randy Orton to reform three-quarters of Evolution to take them out. When it failed, Hunter somehow used Seth to blow up The Shield from within. If people thought she got everything in The Authority, it was nothing compared to the resources Hunter threw behind Seth, even giving the man his own security team. He didn't interact with anyone besides Hunter, Stephanie, Jamie, and Joey. Everyone else was beneath him.

While the last two years of her life had been awful, 2015 had undeniably been the year of Seth Rollins. As WWE Champion he defeated every handpicked opponent put in front of him. He got to appear on _The Daily Show_ and received preferential treatment everywhere he went. Everything came up roses for Seth until he blew out his knee overseas against Kane. And just like that, he was gone, banished to a life of surgery, scopes, rehab, and physical therapy. Like clockwork, she watched as J&J Security disappeared and Randy Orton seamlessly took Seth's spot as the Face of the Company. She wasn't at all surprised by the development, or even by the choice; Randy was Hunter's go to. At one point, Hunter had tried to set the two of them up, thinking they could take over the way he and Stephanie had in the early 2000's. It was the one time Jory put her foot down with Hunter - she found him repulsive.

While she wondered if Seth would be insulted to come back and find himself replaced, Seth slid into the ring and attacked Roman from behind. The crowd roared in approval. Jory watched, stunned, as Seth set Roman up for a Pedigree. Renee and Jory exchanged bewildered stares at the new development. "Well, that's unexpected," Renee mused. They both turned back to the screen to see Seth holding the WWE Championship over his head, standing over Roman's prone body while AJ still stirred on the canvas.

"That's not," Jory pointed out.

"You're right about that. I gotta get out to the table. I'll see you in a couple hours."

"I'll meet you in the parking lot." It was Renee's turn to leave Jory alone at the interview area. She studied the screen, watching Seth closely. She didn't understand what was happening, what his motives were, but she was sure all of the answers would be found on _Raw_ in twenty-four hours.

* * *

It was just after midnight when Jory left the building. She was surprised to see Bayley, dressed in blue jeans and an "I'm a Hugger" T-shirt, her hair down around her face and her bag hanging over her shoulder. Renee stood with her, taking selfies with fans. Jory approached. There were some boos and some catcalls. The girls turned to her, Renee flashing her a giant smile.

"What's going on?" Jory asked.

"Jory, you fucking suck, bitch!"

"Watch your mouth - there are kids like _right there_ ," Bayley chastised, cocking her head. The three of them walked away from the fans behind the barricade.

"Change of plans," Renee told her. Jory wondered why nobody bothered to message her about it. "It's the three of us tonight. Roman and Dean need some guy time. You know how it is."

"They're off to drink beer and bitch about Seth." Renee tapped her nose twice with her index finger and the three of them broke into a fit of giggles. "I'm not at all surprised about that." Bayley hit the FOB on her key-chain and Renee opened the hatchback to put her luggage inside. Jory followed behind. Renee looked at the padlock on Jory's bag and shook her head. Jory didn't see it. Bayley put her bag in the car and shut the door. She handed the keys to Jory, who rounded the hood of the car to the driver's side.

"So, on a scale of one to ten, how mad is Dean?" Bayley asked, buckling her seatbelt in the passenger's side.

"About Seth? Oh, God, twenty." Renee shook her head. "I love him to death, but wow, can the man hold a grudge."

"Are you mad at Seth?" Jory asked, backing out of the parking space. Traveling with Bayley, the two women learned they had similar musical tastes. Jory genuinely liked Bayley, who was sweet and accommodating and didn't seem to judge her at all for the things she had done.

"He did a really shitty thing, but I get it, I guess. It doesn't make it right, but I understand." They came to a stop, waiting for security to wave them through. Fans were yelling and shouting at the car. Jory could hear some verbal abuse directed at her, but she kept her window up and chose not to acknowledge it. "I've known Seth a long time. I know that he's been Mr. Egotistical...well, he's always been that way...but I think there's still some good in there." They slowly drove through, waved on by one of the security guards, a large man with white hair. "In all your time with The Authority, you really didn't talk to him?"

"No. I found him really intimidating, especially after Jamie and Joey joined him. Hunter and Stephanie were always on me about staying focused, and after that whole thing with his ex...they were _really_ adamant that I stayed away from him. They said they didn't need another scandal."

"I've always wondered what Hunter offered that was so good that Seth was willing to turn his back on the guys," Bayley jumped in. She shook her head.

"I know people think that Dean is this tough, crazy guy, but he's surprisingly sensitive. He takes things so personally. Seth really hurt him, doing the things he did. I haven't heard the end of it since the night Seth swung the chair."

"I don't doubt that," Jory murmured. She fell quiet, thinking about her own path of destruction that she had paved during her stint as Hunter and Stephanie's hired female hand. Bayley and Renee talked about something Sasha Banks had said on the road the week before, but Jory drove in silence, thinking about Seth. She found that she felt sorry for him. She knew that his days in The Authority were numbered the second his knee gave out, and it seemed like he was the only one who had yet to figure it out.


	3. Rejection

**Chapter 2:**

 **Rejection**

* * *

"Bad Mood Rising! One, two three...and Jordana Moody picks up the victory!"

If Jory had heard the excitement in Corey Graves' voice, she would have dismissed it as a mixture of a cruel joke and a paid endorsement. Given the way her career had been tinkered with since summer 2014, it was hard to think anyone could be genuine. Referee John Cone called for the bell to officially end the match while Jory pulled herself off the prone body of Natalya Neidhart. She rested back on her calves, her hands on her thighs, trying to catch her breath. It had been a very physical, hard-hitting match, the kind of match that she had been itching to have since coming back from her injury. When she arrived at the arena and saw her name on the match card beside Natalya's, she had been so excited. Even though she was one of the girls keeping Jory frozen out, in protest on behalf of the Bella Twins, Natalya was considered to be one of the best on the roster. Jory knew she was Canadian wrestling royalty; despite their differences, Jory respected her.

John helped Jory to her feet, raising her hand high. Generic techno music blared through the speakers, music that she hated with every fiber of her being. She could still vividly recall the first time Hunter had brought it to her, and how much she had hated it. Hunter worked hard to sell her on the music, promising her that it was young, hip, and fit his vision for her. She trusted his vision, right? At the time she had been so spellbound by everything around her that she believed every word he spoke. Of course, she believed him; he was The Game, the Cerebral Assassin, the guy who usurped Shane McMahon to take over the company one day. He had a vision for her, for the future, and, for better or worse, she had to trust it if she wanted that Hall of Fame career she had dreamed about for so long. Since leaving The Authority, Jory found herself hating the music more and more every time she heard it, but they wouldn't let her change it. Every week it sounded worse in her ears, a constant painful reminder of a past she wished she could forget.

When John dropped Jory's hand, her eyes flickered down to Natalya, who was stirring on the canvas. She was the polar opposite of her father, WWE legend Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart, with golden blonde hair, hazel eyes, and cheekbones to die for. Rolling onto her side, Natalya looked up at Jory, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. The expression Natalya's face made Jory suspect that Natalya expected her to attack. Instead, Jory extended her hand, wordlessly offering to help Natalya to her feet. The crowd let out a loud " _Oh_!" as Natalya instead opted to roll out of the ring and walk slowly up the ramp.

She watched Natalya walk away, her shoulders curving. Even though she had accepted the idea that some of the girls would never fully accept her, it was still hard to watch them be happy with each other, but not her. They talked and offered encouragement on Instagram, but never hers. Some of them sent open abuse her way. With the exception of Bayley, Becky, Dana, and Renee, nobody followed her. Even with Brie Bella - the woman at the heart of her terrible deeds - gone, the divide between Jory and her colleagues still felt too wide to bridge.

It wasn't a surprise at all to Jory to find it was business as usual as she walked through the curtain. There was no acknowledgment of her existence as she walked towards the backstage area.

With the special perks and the private locker rooms gone, Jory wasn't at all surprised to learn the girls didn't accept her apologies or her overtures for peace. They had no reason to. It was a long time before Jory could change with the girls again. She was amazed at how long some of the girls could carry a grudge for, over a woman who had spent the better part of her career bullying, torturing and tormenting the girls around them. It had never been her intention to be the enemy; she didn't arrive in the company looking to screw over anybody. But she had been looking to make an impact.

Every night she drove back to her hotel room and wondered how she could fix things. Far removed from her Authority days, Jory had enough hindsight to regret every move she ever made. _I never_ _ever should have believed a word that came out of their mouths_ , she thought. _The fault is mine and mine alone there._

Walking into the women's locker room, she wasn't at all surprised to find it empty. She was, however, surprised to see her bag was gone. Jory could hear the water running in the shower area. She presumed somebody was there, so she went to ask about her bag. Running a hand through her sweat-slicked hair, she came to a stop and sighed in defeat. Her bag and her hoodie were on the ground, with the water running directly onto it. Everything was soaked.

She approached and shut everything down. The realization that she was going to have to spend the rest of her night in her ring gear was unwelcome. She looked at her bag, where she knew she had placed her cell phone, and realized she was going to have to have it replaced, that it was probably ruined. The irritation she felt was quickly replaced by a feeling of helplessness. There was nobody she could tell about this; management wasn't going to help, and speaking a word of it to the wrong person would only give them the perception that she was complaining. If that happened, then whoever was behind it was only going to ramp up the punishment.

Looking at her luggage blankly, she couldn't help but think about Seth Rollins, about his promo earlier in the night where he doubled down on his allegiance to The Authority. They gave him a title match against Roman at _Money in the Bank_ for it. She thought about the knee injury that sidelined him at the worst possible time. _As if there's a good time to go down_ , she thought to herself. Even if Seth was acting willingly blind to it, she could see the seeds of tension already planted between Hunter, Seth, Randy, and Stephanie. The fact that he thought things could go back to the way they were before left Jory dumbfounded. _His days are numbered. He just doesn't seem to know it yet._ She thought about the eventual fallout. Sure, there'd be some tension over what he had done. But eventually, everyone would come to love and trust him again.

 _It's because he has always been one of them, Jory, honey. He knew most of these people before he got here. You've never been one of them. Ever. From day one. Hunter saw to that. He saw to that the second he saw you at tryouts and decided to fast-track you through_ everything _. Your entire career has been one big, fat reminder that_ you are not one of them.

Jory crumpled to her knees in front of her wet clothing and huffed. _You didn't see it then, but you made the biggest mistake of your life._

In time, she knew that Seth was going to be in the same boat. She had been foolish to ignore their treacherous histories. He would be, too, just as so many had before them. While she had some kind of inkling that it was coming, Seth himself didn't seem to realize that the Sword of Damocles was hanging over his head.

* * *

Seth stomped back into his hotel room, throwing his bag ahead of him with a raspy, exasperated sigh. He let the door shut behind him while he kicked off his running shoes, leaving them in a heap on the floor beside the desk. Unzipping his grey hoodie, Seth dropped it over the back of the desk chair as he strolled towards the bed, giving his bag another hard kick for good measure. At that point, he didn't care if there was anything breakable in there; he needed something to kick.

He should have been in a good mood. He knew that. Seth should have been ecstatic that he got his rematch for the WWE Championship, the title that he never really lost. But he wasn't. After all their words of reassurance and encouragement, after all the promises they had made while he was laid up in the hospital, Seth had a nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach and in the back of his mind that Hunter and Stephanie had just spent the better part of a year blowing smoke into his ear. Of course, he wasn't stupid; he realized that being out with an injury meant that someone else was going to have to pick up the ball and run with it in his absence. He wasn't even surprised to see it was Randy Orton, Hunter's trusty standby Superstar.

But he's back now. It was time for Seth to reclaim his torch and carry the company into the next era. He believed Hunter and Stephanie when they visited him after his surgery, armed with a bouquet so big that he couldn't see either of them at first. He had been so depressed following surgery, but Hunter and Stephanie's words had helped him through. "You're still our guy," Hunter had assured him gruffly. "Nothing changes."

Yet tonight, he had been so happy to see her. She looked great, as always. With arms wide open and a huge smile, he'd gone in for a big hug, just like old times, only to be cut off at the pass. On camera. In front of the world. He'd seen the change in her blue eyes; it was almost as if she were irritated to see him. He could still feel her soft but firm hand on his sternum. He'd felt so stupid, his arms wide open and his grin enormous.

 _Nothing's changed my ass,_ he thought bitterly, sitting down heavily on the bed to take off his socks. _With your luck, Rollins, this is just the calm before the storm. You're going to end up just like that girl they threw out. What was her name again? Something with a J...Joanna? Jesus, I'm so self-absorbed. She's been in the company two and a half years now, and you don't even remember it._

"She's probably not that memorable. Excuse me," Seth said out loud, snorting. He threw his socks down on the floor, staring at them, deep in thought still. J&J Security was gone now, which meant he was alone in his quest to regain the Championship. All the confidence he'd had in The Authority being at his disposal dissolved when he saw Stephanie. He hoped they were still behind him; he had given up everything for them, had given them everything he had until his body gave out and he couldn't give anything anymore. The sacrifices he had made both personally and professionally had been astronomical. Every relationship he had outside of those two and his mother was reduced to scorched Earth. The men he considered his brothers were now his mortal enemies because of the things he had done for them. Since June 2, 2014, Seth has only relied on Hunter and Stephanie. Without the people who lured him away from The Shield behind him, he was alone without an ally. The thought of that was genuinely destabilizing.

 _I know you don't want to admit it, Rollins, but you rolled craps here. How great has The Authority_ really _been?_

"Hey. That's enough out of you," he grumbled, falling back on the bed horizontally, staring up at the ceiling. _Stephanie and Hunter are tired of your shit on your first night back, man. That's not a good sign. You let all of it go to your head. Everything you've done...they overlooked all of it while you were giving them what they wanted. But the second you got hurt...They are going to put you out to pasture, dude. It might not be now, but it's coming._ Seth sighed loudly. "Fuck."

He had come back to WWE with a list of problems left over from his time as champion. Brock Lesnar wanted to get his hands on Seth for humiliating him at _WrestleMania 31_ when he'd cashed in his Money in the Bank contract and stole the main event. Roman Reigns wanted a piece of him for a variety of reasons, and Dean - the lunatic - always seemed to be lurking in the shadows, waiting to get the drop on him. Out of the two other men in The Shield, Dean seemed to take Seth's betrayal to heart to the extreme. To add to the situation, the WWE Championship was now a stacked and loaded field, thanks to the addition of AJ Styles.

"It's always fucking Orton, too," he said out of the blue. "I wonder what he has on the two of them. That guy's such a dick."

With an aggravated sigh, Seth got off the bed. Walking towards the bathroom, he took his shirt off and threw it over his shoulder, not giving a damn where it landed. The first order of business for the night was a hot shower, followed by the latest _Game of Thrones_ episode. Any perceived issue with The Authority could wait until the sun came up.


	4. Home Life

**Chapter 3:**

 **Home Life**

* * *

Three days after he was granted his WWE Championship rematch against Roman Reigns, Seth awoke in his own bed on a beautiful Thursday morning. The sun lit up his bedroom through the slats in the blinds, a perfect beam of light falling across his line of sight. With a big sigh, he tried to roll over and ignore it, but in the end, he opened his eyes and stretched out, swinging back the blue and grey plaid comforter and swinging his legs over the bed. Once he was in a seated position, with his feet on the floor, his eyes drifted down to the scar on his knee, a reminder that he had almost lost everything that he had worked so hard for. With a yawn, he stood and stretched, readjusting his black and blue plaid sleep shorts. Shuffling to the window, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Seth opened the blinds, his lips pulling back into a wide smile at the blue sky on the other side of the glass.

The moment his run as the first NXT Champion was over and the Shield was assembled to be shipped to the main roster, Seth packed up his apartment and left Orlando. All his life he'd heard the saying "home is where the heart is", and no matter where his travels took him, his heart always belonged to Iowa. Seth recalled a time just after The Shield disbanded, when Hunter approached him privately to try and persuade him to move back to Florida, to be close to the Performance Centre. He told Seth it was just a way to keep him at an elite level. Seth smirked; Hunter's pressing of the issue died the day Seth broke ground on his wrestling school.

It wasn't that he hated Orlando; how could he? The weather was always fairly nice, it was almost always sunny, and his apartment was walking distance to the beach. But being on the road three hundred and twenty days a year, he wanted to be close to his family when he had time off.

Walking into his kitchen, scratching an itch on the back of his neck, Seth mentally ran through his itinerary for the day. After coffee and breakfast, he was off for a CrossFit workout before stopping in at Black & Brave to watch the new recruits work. After that, he was going to come back to the apartment, have a hot shower, and get changed into something a little more fashionable before taking his mother out on a date night. The plan was to take her out for dinner and a movie. Then, he would come back to the apartment, pack his suitcase, and in the morning, he'd be back to the grind. He grabbed his coffee mug and set up the Keurig to brew.

Turning, he leaned against the kitchen counter and looked at his barren apartment, a place that had once seen and known the loving touch of a woman's sense of style. At one time it had looked so different, so well-decorated and filled with antique furniture he hadn't been fully comfortable in, though he'd admit that it looked nice. Now, it looked very much the part of a bachelor pad. He thought about the women he had lived with during the course of his career, how he had blown all of it. With a yawn, he shook the thoughts out of his head. _It's too early and too beautiful outside to be thinking like this, dude. Get some coffee in you -_ stat.

"While I'm thinking about it, though..." Seth walked back into his bedroom and picked up his cell phone off the nightstand. While his coffee was dispensing, he walked back to the kitchen. Unlocking his screen - he always had a lock screen now; he'd never make that same mistake twice - he pulled up his Twitter app. Pulling up the search bar, he typed in her name but quickly found it wasn't Joanna. _Every day you say you're gonna stop being so fucking self-absorbed, Rollins, and yet here we are, once again..._

"Don't start your shit at this hour," Seth chastised out loud, rolling his eyes. He recalled seeing Renee deep in some kind of serious conversation with her on Monday, so he pulled up Renee Young's profile. He still followed her on Twitter; mostly because Dean couldn't be bothered to maintain a presence on the site. Since she was Dean's woman, their friendship had come to a screeching halt the night he left The Shield. He'd never admit it to anyone, but he missed their banter, the way they used to greet each other with eighties movie quotes and bad jokes. _You took all of it for granted, man. Now you got nobody but yourself._ For a moment, the Whodini song was stuck in his head and he snorted, grabbing his cup of coffee and moving to the table.

Looking through her following list, he cringed at some of her musical tastes. Scrolling down, everything clicked into place. "Jordana! That's it. It's Jordana Moody. What kind of a name is that?" Seth mused. He tapped his thumb on the screen and brought up her profile. All mentions and pictures of The Authority had long been scrubbed from her profile. He clicked on her media posts and looked through the pictures. _Oh._ That's _why I don't recognize her. She used to be blonde. Wow. It didn't suit her at all._ He went back and clicked on her profile picture, bringing it up so it took up his entire screen. It was a nice photograph. The first thing he noticed was how light her green eyes were, and the way the lighting in the photo left rings around her irises. Going back to her profile, he looked at the banner. It was obviously a song lyric, but one he didn't recognize. " _My enemies belittle me, reminding me the penalty for all my deeds - despite my pleas - is death_." He sipped his coffee, his eyes never leaving the phone.

"Let's see what she's into..." he mused to himself, clicking on her following list. It wasn't a giant list. Most of her coworkers were there, even some of the ones who hated her, like the Bella Twins, Sasha Banks, and Natalya. She didn't follow Hunter, Stephanie, or Vince, but she followed the company account, he noticed. She followed Dean, who never posted. There were wrestlers from other companies she followed, like Drew Gulak, Katarina Waters, Tessa Blanchard, Richochet, Mia Yim, and Kenny Omega. She followed other wrestling promotions like CZW and Ring of Honor. She followed bands he recognized, and some he didn't. She followed CNN, and an actor and an actress or two. There were unverified followers; he assumed they were friends and family.

Going back to her profile, he saw her last Tweet was a few weeks ago before he returned at _Extreme Rules_. He clicked the link to her Instagram. There weren't a lot of posts; she definitely didn't spend a lot of time on social media like some of the other girls he knew. He scrolled, coming to a stop when he saw her blonde hair and reddened face. He brought up the photo and read the caption.

 _Sometimes your enemies come with smiles._

The words hit Seth in the chest, knocking him breathless for a few moments. He saw the date of the post and realized that it was the night she had been ejected from The Authority. He recalled the back and forth between Hunter and Stephanie with Daniel Bryan - a guy Seth legitimately liked, and still kept in touch with, despite his forced retirement in February - and how they bullied him and shoved him around. He hadn't been surprised at all when Daniel's wife Brie stepped up for him. When she did, though, it became an all-out war, and instead of handling business herself, Stephanie tasked Jordana to handle it. Stephanie always had a complaint about the situation, especially after Stephanie got arrested and forced into the _SummerSlam_ match with Brie. She didn't have to say it out loud, but Seth knew that she probably held Jory responsible for it. The McMahon Family never accepted their own failures; they looked to point the finger.

It occurred to him that Stephanie had done the same thing with Nikki that Hunter had done with him; the two of them had used someone close to blow everything up from within. He sipped his coffee. Even with the title opportunity promised to him, there was still an uneasy feeling in his gut like a shoe was about to drop.

"Stop acting like such a little bitch, Rollins. You're still The Guy. You're The Guy. You're not going to end up like _her_." He shut down the app. "You're far more important." Getting up, taking a big swig of his coffee, he placed the mug on the counter and went to the bedroom to get dressed and grab his workout bag.

 _"Friends...how many of us have them? Friends...ones we can depend on..._ God damn it."

* * *

Three hours away, in Chicago, Illinois, Jory stood alone in her bathroom, swinging her hips and her hair as she brushed her teeth, the song "I'm Made of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of?" blaring from her phone. Outside, the weather looked beautiful, the sky bright blue with no clouds and a shining sun. Dressed in her usual sleepwear of a little black camisole and black boy-shorts, she jumped from foot to foot, stopping only to spit the toothpaste out in the sink and rinse.

Born at an army base in Virginia, Jory and her family spent a lot of time moving around until they finally settled in Chicago. She had been ten at the time, her older sister fifteen. Her childhood involved a lot of games at Wrigley Field with her father. She supported every Chicago team, from the Cubs to the Blackhawks to the Bears. There were so many places she had been in North America and overseas, but Chicago was the place she called home. Her favorite memories were there. Her best friends were there. And her father remained there, even after the death of her mother four years ago. Her sister had moved back to Texas to pursue a relationship with someone she met online, so it was just her father in the Windy City. When her time in The Authority ended and she was no longer under their thumb both personally and professionally, Jory returned home. She was happy to do it; she worried about him being alone so much. For now, the apartment was a close drive - she was getting ready to purchase places for both of them - and every week when she came home, they had Daddy-Daughter Date Night. They used to go out in public, but fan vitriol made it an awful time for both of them, so it usually consisted of her going to his home, making dinner, and the two of them watching a movie they had never seen.

Her day was busy, but she was bristling with excitement. Her high school friend Danica reached out; she was taking some photography courses and looking to expand her portfolio. She wanted to know if Jory would be available for a photo shoot. Jory had accepted; anything to help out a friend. She didn't want to admit it, but after the time she spent in The Authority, she came to love the flashing of cameras and the feeling of being a model. It had taken her a little while to find her inner diva in front of the camera, but when she had, she found she enjoyed the attention.

 _That doesn't make me a bad person, does it?_ She froze momentarily, but the thought and the mood that came with it disappeared quickly when the song changed. She already had a bag ready, unsure of what Danica wanted to do with the shoot. She asked about doing her own hair and makeup, but Danica said she had a friend willing to do all that, so she threw her long hair into a high ponytail. She went into the bedroom to get dressed, stopping to smile at the beautiful day outside.

She'd had the date night with her father the night before when she landed, but they'd made plans for dinner when she was finished her photo shoot. He said he wanted to talk to her about something. She was surprised he hadn't mentioned it the night before, but she agreed to meet him for dinner. He had mentioned there would be company. Part of her suspected he was going to tell her that he was seeing somebody. She thought she'd be upset about the idea, but she was relieved that someone would be close to her father while she was on the road so much. She knew he was lonely; she just hoped the woman was nice.

Jory changed into a pair of Misfits leggings and a long black tank top, something she could quickly change in and out of. She sat down on her couch to watch a few episodes of _Batman: The Animated Series_ , a way to kill time until Danica sent her a message saying she was ready. There was also a stack of fan mail - and a lot of hate mail - to go through, so she wanted to take the time to sift through it. On days when she felt down, some of the nice things fans sent her, kind words or amazing fan art, always had a way of making her feel better. On a beautiful sunny Thursday in Chicago, Jory's good mood was indestructible.


	5. Money in the Bank

**Chapter 4:**

 **Money in the Bank**

* * *

It was just after one in the morning when Seth walked into the lobby of the hotel, stomping across the dark marbled linoleum floors towards the elevator. He kept his head down and his hood drawn. It hadn't been enough to keep the hecklers out in the parking lot from laughing at him and making snide comments. They had asked where his title was as he walked past them, dragging his suitcase. A self-admitted sore loser, Seth wanted to turn around and start throwing fists; instead, he jammed his free hand into the hoodie of his Blackcraft Cult hoodie while the other gripped the handle of his bag just a little tighter.

 _Son of a bitch. I had it. I fucking_ had it.

The elevator doors slid closed and Seth was alone with his thoughts all the way up to the eighth floor. With each jumbled and chaotic thought, Seth found himself getting more and more upset. Las Vegas was supposed to be a lucky place. _This was supposed to be my night. I did everything I was supposed to do!_

He realized his forehead was pounding, and that there was no Advil in his bag. He looked up at the ceiling and released an aggravated sigh. The elevator stopped and the door slid open. He was out in the hallway quickly, dragging his suitcase behind him as he made a brisk beeline to his room. His night had gone from great to awful in the blink of an eye. Even a few hours removed, Seth was still struggling to understand where his plan had gone sideways.

Entering his hotel room, he shoved the suitcase violently in front of him. It tilted awkwardly before landing on its back. Agitated, Seth kicked it away from him, making it slide across the burgundy carpet. He stared at the luggage with brown eyes full of fury, at the suitcase that was supposed to be ten pounds heavier with gold. _You should have known that fucker was going to cash in right away, Seth. He's literally been a second shadow since you swung that chair._

 _Yeah, but I thought I'd at least have it for the night! Fucking hell. I mean, who the fuck cashes in his briefcase right away?_

"Dean Fucking Ambrose, that's who," Seth said out loud, giving the bag a weak prod with his foot. "Ugh."

He kicked off his shoes, leaving them in the middle of the floor, and stretched out across the bed horizontally. As hard as he tried, Seth couldn't stop thinking about the chaos that had ensued the second he had been pinned for the three count. Stephanie and Hunter were _furious_ with him; he'd never seen them so angry. Stephanie was beside herself at the thought of "that scruffy lunatic" being the face of _her_ company. Seth smirked; he could hear her voice in his head. She had been screaming and shouting at Hunter, who was doing everything he could to console her.

They had acted like it was _his_ fault. They had acted like he hadn't just gone through an absolutely grueling match with Roman. Dean had taken advantage of that, but they didn't seem to see it that way. In their rage, they said nothing about his rematch clause. _I hope there's still a plan in place. If I can't get that belt off Dean, there's a good chance the belt is going to_ SmackDown _in the draft._

"If that happens, they are so gonna stop backing you," he murmured to himself. "Those two are counting on you, Rollins. You gotta get back to the drawing board."

* * *

Renee pounded on the wooden table top with the palm of her hand, the pitchers of beer and the glasses on the surface moving slightly with each _thwack_ of her hand. She was howling with hysterical laughter, her cheeks rosy and her hazel eyes glazed, a side effect of the nice buzz she had going on. Her ruby lips were pulled back in a smile so big it looked painful. Joy and adulation radiated from her like a halo. Jory couldn't help but feel touched by Renee's pride in Dean. The atmosphere at the table was light and jovial, but it did nothing to dissolve the feeling of discomfort in the pit of Jory's stomach. _Total Divas_ cameras were at the bar, filming Naomi as she belted out "This Is How We Do It" on the karaoke stage at the other side of the bar.

It wasn't Jory's plan to go out after _Money in the Bank_. Once again, she had been left off the match card entirely, and she wasn't at all feeling celebratory. But Hurricane Renee had found her in catering, and she wasn't taking no for an answer. The initial celebration was for Dean winning the briefcase, but by the end of the night, it became something so much bigger. Dean had won the title in Las Vegas, the town where the two of them called home, and there were a million places Renee wanted to drag her to. It was how Jory was now seated between Roman Reigns and an empty chair that had been Naomi's.

At the head of the table, Dean sat with his long legs stretched out, his feet on the arm of Renee's chair. If it bothered her, Renee didn't say a word. The WWE Championship was slung over his left shoulder and draped across his chest like a beauty pageant sash. His hair was still wet and in his face, and it looked like he hadn't changed his clothes after the show. It was always hard for Jory to tell with Dean. He already looked well-toasted. Roman was nursing his drink, well aware that he was going to have to drive them back home. Jory looked past Renee's shoulder, where the Usos were talking to the karaoke MC.

Earlier in the night, as they watched Dean successfully climb the ladder and retrieve his briefcase, Jory asked Renee what Dean's game plan was. She never thought for a second that Renee would answer, but she told Jory it depended on who won the main event. When Seth pinned Roman to win the title, she knew that Dean was going to come out and pick the bones clean.

It was exactly what he did.

Back from his injury, with the championship in his hands, Jory assumed that Seth thought he was on top of the world, and then it was gone, in a fleeting moment. It couldn't have been a happy night in The Authority, but Jory pushed those thoughts out of her head and sipped on her whiskey sour.

"You should get up there and do something!" Renee blurted at her. Jory's eyes widened.

"Oh, no. I'm not drunk enough to do that yet. Besides, you don't want to hear me sing," she added with a laugh. Beside her, Roman chuckled.

"Chicken?" he taunted.

"You heading up there?" she asked. Roman shook his head and snorted, taking a sip of his whiskey.

"I don't even know why those cameras are filming," Roman said with a snort. "No way are they paying for the rights to the song."

"They're gonna dub it over with public domain. By this time next month, she'll be up there singing about London Bridge falling down," Jory replied. Roman snorted into his drink. Renee laughed obnoxiously, a sign that she was officially drunk. Dean smirked.

"That sense of humor of yours...I gotta watch you," Roman laughed. Jory found that she liked him; he seemed imposing, but he was incredibly laid back. He also didn't look at her as suspiciously as Dean did, despite her previous ties to The Authority. His long black hair was pulled back into a bun; he wore blue jeans and a black T-shirt. He was drinking beer with Dean, but he was still on his first, nursing his drink because he knew he had to drive. If he was upset at losing to Seth, Dean's win completely erased the hard feelings.

Naomi made her way back to the table while Jimmy and Jey took their place. She sat down beside Jory while the instrumental beat of "Gangsta's Paradise". Jory almost choked on her drink. "Oh my God. This is going to be amazing," she laughed. Naomi waved the bartender over to get another martini. The cameras were on the table, and once again, Jory found herself uncomfortable.

* * *

"I think I'm going to call for a cab," Jory said, standing to her feet. She tilted to the side a little but straightened up almost immediately. Even though she was drunk, she still wasn't showing it as badly as Renee was. Jory finished her drink and placed the glass on the table. "Thank you guys for having me out tonight."

"What? You can't leave."

"I stayed an extra night here for this," she pointed out. "I have to leave early tomorrow."

"Oh, you wet blanket," Renee said with a dismissive wave of her hand. Jory shook her head. Roman shot her a look.

"I'll walk out with you. I could use some air." Jory was surprised, but she nodded. She turned to Dean, who was still holding onto the title. "Thanks for having me out. Congratulations again, Dean. I'm really happy for you."

"Thanks, Jordana." She made her way out of the bar, pulling her phone out of her purse to pull up her Uber app. Roman followed behind, moving ahead to open the door for her. She thanked him. It was a beautiful morning; it was cold, the sky was black, but the way the lights lit up the city was spellbinding. Roman and Jory leaned against the wall of the bar. She dropped her cell phone in her purse.

"Don't worry about Dean," Roman offered. "He doesn't hate you." She shot him a look. "He doesn't like you very much, but he doesn't hate you."

"Thanks. For that," she said with a laugh and a shake of her head. "I'm pretty sure he thinks I'm going to corrupt Renee."

"Probably. I don't see that happening."

"I appreciate that."

"So...you came out here for fresh air." Jory knew that Roman was married with a family, but she figured he probably wanted to talk to her about something away from both Dean and Renee. "What do you want to know?"

"You caught me," Roman said with a laugh. "You're perceptive."

"Suspicious is probably the better word for it," she admitted, crossing her arms over her chest. "Would you have been mad at Dean if he cashed in tonight?"

"Nah. Dean's my brother." Jory took a look at him and knew he was being genuine. "That guy's worked his ass off and done some crazy shit to get here to get that belt. I couldn't be happier for him."

"I'm happy for him, too. Even if he hates me." They laughed before falling silent.

"I've been wanting to ask all night. I don't know how to ask without pissing you off, so I'm just going to spit it out. Why?"

"Why what?"

"The Authority." She nodded, not at all surprised.

"I don't have a good answer for you. I don't have a good answer for anyone," she confessed. "It started when Hunter saw me in tryouts. He took a personal interest in me, and despite everything I knew about his history with people, I fell into it. I knew better, but I told myself I was different. And it was a mistake. A _huge_ mistake. I'll be paying for it for a while." She looked at him. Something flickered in his eyes, and she nodded. "What do you want to know, Roman?"

"Seth's days are numbered with them."

"I don't know. I think it's looking that way, but I'm not in their circle anymore. I don't know." There was a pause. "You still care."

"About Seth? Yeah." He sighed. "We were brothers. And I came in here with none of the indie credentials they did. I'm strictly a WWE guy, built and bred by their developmental system. And they took me under their wing. As angry as I am at Seth, I can't bring myself to completely write him off the way that Dean has."

"You want to believe this is just a phase."

"I guess I do. Dean got to do some singles stuff in the Shield first, so it was me and Seth most of the time. I learned a lot from him. He's a brother, too." She nodded.

"I know this whole thing with him has been hard. And I wish I could give you something to make you feel better, but Seth's got to make this mistake for himself. And I know that you know that." Roman nodded. The Uber pulled up. Jory pushed herself off the wall and turned to him.

"Thanks for the talk."

"Same to you." He got off the wall. "See you at _Raw_." She nodded and got into the car. Roman walked into the bar before the car was out of his sight.


	6. The Draft

**Chapter 5:**

 **The Draft**

* * *

For the first time in what felt like forever, Seth left the arena on cloud nine.

So what if he didn't get the championship away from that lunatic Dean Ambrose? So what if Dean and the WWE Championship went over to _SmackDown Live_ when Daniel and Shane drafted him first? As it turned out, Hunter and Stephanie - The Authority - had a plan. They _always_ had a plan. Seth grinned; he should have known better than to doubt that. So Dean takes the prestigious title and heads off to another brand; Hunter and Stephanie are already having a new title made and are workshopping names for it. It should be ready in time for _SummerSlam_ in August, and when he becomes the first one, he'll be back out there, defending it on every house show circuit, every live event, and every pay-per-view, on every continent, in every country. So what if the WWE Championship had the history behind it? Seth was going to be on the ground floor, crafting the history of this new title, and he couldn't be more excited.

 _You know, they wouldn't have to shell out the money to make a new title if you had just gotten the job done in the first place. This could have been on Shane's dime._

Seth shook the negative voices out of his head. Nothing was going to bring his mood down. There was no reason to think there was trouble in paradise between him, Hunter, and Stephanie anymore; they had drafted him first. _He_ was the first guy Stephanie and Mick Foley had wanted. Not Randy Orton - who had gone to _SmackDown_ , which was cause for celebration as far as Seth was concerned. Not the franchise player John Cena. Not Roman Reigns.

Him.

If that wasn't a glowing endorsement of his talents and abilities, he didn't know what was. From a young age, Seth never lacked confidence, and from the time he showed up in the WWE, he legitimately believed that he could be the guy to usher in the new era. Having Stephanie validate that meant the world. He felt a small twinge of shame for ever doubting her support.

He drove to the hotel with the windows down and the latest Ghost album blaring from the speakers. He nodded his head aggressively; not quite headbanging, but enough so that he could still drive and rock out. He shouted the lyrics at the top of his lungs, pounding a fist on the steering wheel in time with the drums. All in all, it had been a great night. Not only was he the number one pick, not only was he going to be the first one to hold the new championship, but they got Dean and Randy out of his hair for good. He wouldn't have to worry about Dean following him around anymore; by the time he next crossed paths with his former Shield mate, Dean would have new problems of his own to deal with. _Dean always was good at making enemies_ , Seth thought with a grin. In time, Seth and Dean would be long-forgotten memories to one another. Seth was sure of it.

Pulling his rental car into the parking lot of the hotel, Seth stayed in the car for a few moments longer to let the song finish. Then he was out of the car with a bounce in his step and a wide grin on his face. He grabbed his bag out of the trunk and walked towards the hotel entrance, stopping to sign an autograph and take a picture with a kid dressed up like John Cena - Seth was in such a great mood he chose to overlook that - before he made his way towards the front entrance hotel. Walking past the window of the bar - he had to pass it to get to the lobby - he turned his head out of the blue and stopped when he saw a familiar face.

Jory.

She sat alone at a table, having a drink, absently picking at a plate of nachos. He noticed that she looked depressed, and she didn't seem to notice him watching her. The smile faded, his shoulders curving slightly.

He wasn't about to admit it to anyone, but he stalked her pages daily. Following her was out of the question; it would raise far too many questions with Hunter and Stephanie, and the waters would get _really_ rough. But he checked in with her daily from a distance, quickly learning that she wasn't one of those people that spent every waking moment online.

Seth watched for a few moments, internally debating whether or not he should join her. He knew Hunter and Stephanie were staying at a different hotel across town, and the bar looked empty enough that he could get away with it. She looked like she needed a friend; the way she looked tugged at his chest, an unexpected reaction. The way her shoulders curved in and her head stayed down made him feel terrible. It wasn't something he felt very often. He knew right away that while The Draft had been a great night for him, it had been the polar opposite for her. Whatever she had wanted obviously hadn't happened. With a sigh, he walked towards the lobby to check in and get settled.

* * *

Inside the bar, Jory didn't see Seth watching her through the window; by the time she looked up, he was gone, the only sight in front of her the cars in the parking lot. With a long and defeated sigh, she took another sip of her whiskey sour.

Her day had started fine, but it hadn't taken long for the bubble to burst. While Heath Slater had the honor of not being drafted, Jory appeared to be the one talent neither side wanted at all. All the talent and worth she felt she possessed had fallen by the wayside a long time ago, all because she wanted to be "best for business". Jory snorted derisively at the phrase. She couldn't count the number of times she had heard it over the years. It was the verbiage they loved to use when it came to keeping her in line.

In a perfect world, Jory would have packed her bags and gone to _SmackDown Live_ to work for Daniel and Shane, two guys who seemed genuinely nice. She never felt right getting involved in Daniel and Brie's marriage, in wreaking havoc on their lives, but Stephanie insisted it needed to be done. It had been her hope that enough time had passed, that she could go to the blue brand and reinvent herself, along with redeeming herself in the eyes of Daniel and Brie. In a perfect world, even if they weren't on each others Christmas card list, they would at least find some way to co-exist without hostility.

In reality, Stephanie had been waiting for Jory when she arrived at the arena, grinning and gleefully reminding Jory about all the horrible things she had done to Daniel Bryan and his family - things done on Stephanie's behalf, as the youngest McMahon failed to mention - and informed her that she was on _Raw_ permanently, because, as Stephanie liked to tell her, "Firing you is _too_ easy."

With that, her dreams of going blue disappeared into thin air, along with any shot at a Women's Championship, at screen-time, or anything. It was depressing; she had three years left on her contract, and she was stuck for the interim under the thumb of two people she hated more than life itself. If she thought Mick was going to be an ally, it was clear that Stephanie had him in the palm of her hand. She didn't seem to like Mick; Jory winced every time she heard Stephanie talk to Mick, full of contempt and often cutting him down to the quick. Frustrated enough to scream and cry, Jory refused to give Stephanie the satisfaction. At the end of the night, she was the first to leave. After she checked in and got settled, Jory made a beeline for the bar, hoping a few drinks would wipe away the awfulness of her night. On her third drink, Jory had a nice buzz going. She hoped it meant that she would get a good night's sleep.

"Hey. Is this seat taken?"

She looked up, shocked to find Seth Rollins standing in front of her. The light reflecting off Seth's brown eyes made them sparkle. He was dressed casually, in a grey hoodie over a black T-shirt. His hair was tied back, and he wore glasses. Her green eyes narrowed in suspicion while they scanned the area for any sign of Hunter and Stephanie. "For you?" she asked coolly. "Yes."

"I'll take that as a no," Seth said with a laugh, taking his place across from her. He was a little surprised when her beautiful features twisted into a scowl, forcing Seth to raise his hands defensively. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, there. I'm not looking for trouble with you tonight, Jordana."

"Then leave. I'm not in the mood for any of this tonight."

"Is this...is this because of The Authority thing?" he asked. He smirked when it looked like her brain short-circuited. "Don't worry about it. Hunter and Steph are across town. I saw you drinking alone, and I figured you could use some company. We can do that, right? Have a friendly drink?"

"No. Because we're not friends. At all. I'm surprised you even know my name."

"Oh, come on," Seth scoffed. "I know a lot about you." She shot him an incredulous look and he nodded, running his tongue along the inside of his cheek. "Fair enough. That came out a lot creepier than I intended."

"Seth. Just go."

"Oh, come on. Don't be like this. What are you drinking? You're having...that's a whiskey sour, right? The next round is on me." He motioned for the waitress and placed the order. Seth turned back to her, and Jory found herself infuriated at how smug he looked, at the holier-than-thou aura that radiated from him in waves. "How was your night?" he asked.

"Like you care."

"Are you going to be like this the whole time? Because I've gotta tell you..."

"Nothing. You don't have to tell me anything. Not a word." She finished her drink. "I'm going up to my room. Enjoy your drink. _Champ_." She went to move but stopped in her tracks when Seth put his hand on hers. It shocked her system, and Seth noticed she twitched. She turned to him, suspicious.

"Please. Stay."

"Not on your life. You're going to be in enough trouble if anyone gets a picture of the two of us in the same place. The Authority's Golden Boy with The Reject? Imagine how Hunter and Stephanie would react to see you slumming like this." The thought of it made Seth smile. He imagined it would be up there with her reaction to Dean Ambrose, WWE Champion.

"I don't think I'm slumming at all. In fact, I think I punched up." She looked at him. "Stay. Please. At least for the drink. I don't do whiskey."

Jory thought about it for a few moments, and, against her better judgment, she sat down across from Seth with a huff. "Are you here to humiliate me?" she asked. She looked at Seth's face, at the surprise in his eyes.

"Not at all. I didn't even know you were staying here. I saw you walking into the hotel. I mean, I was at the window. You were already in here. You looked like you could use some company."

"Why are you doing this? What do you want from me, Seth?"

"Just to hang. J&J are gone. I'm feeling kind of in the mood to celebrate, and I figured since you're obviously in the mood to drink, it kind of balances out." There was more he wanted to say, she could tell, but he cut himself off. She couldn't help but smirk. The waitress dropped off the drinks at the table. Seth reached out and stole one of her chips. He thought she would take his head off, but he was relieved when she didn't acknowledge it.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to say," she told him, pulling the maraschino cherry out of her drink.

"That's fine. I don't really know, either," he confessed.

"You know I hang out with Dean and Renee," she told him. He nodded.

"How does that go with Dean?"

"None of your business."

"Making me work for it. I like a challenge," he said with a laugh. She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "Sorry. I just know how he feels about The Authority. I know how most people feel about it. You get both sides of the coin. It's why I'm here drinking with you, instead of leaving you to drown your sorrows."

"My sorrows are hardly drowning. They know how to swim at this point," she said with a snort, downing half her drink in a sip. Seth watched her, impressed. He didn't expect her to have any kind of fight in her; she always seemed to move like a ghost backstage, trying to stay out of everyone's sight. He'd forgotten about her because he never saw her around much. "And you aren't drinking."

"You caught me." Before he could say anything more, Jory's phone went off. His eyes lit up.

" _Homesick_ is your ringer?"

"It's my dad's ringer," she corrected, quickly finishing her drink. She stood. "If you'll excuse me, I need to take this. Thanks for the drink." She stood, answering the phone as she made a beeline out of the bar, thankful for the break. She turned back to look at him, surprised to find he was watching her as well. With a curt nod, she left. Seth took a sip of his drink. _That didn't go_ exactly _as well as I thought it would,_ he thought.

* * *

"Hey, Daddy!" Jory greeted, moving briskly through the lobby.

"Hey. I saw what happened on the show tonight, and I wanted to check in. I know how much you really wanted to go to _SmackDown_."

"Thanks, Daddy. Yeah, it didn't really go the way I hoped it would, but what else is new?" she said with a sigh. Jory pushed the button to head up to her floor. "Three more years. Hopefully, by then I won't be so tarnished that I can't head over to Ring of Honor or something."

"I still think there's hope here, Jory. Nothing's been burned to the ground yet."

"I wish I could be as optimistic," she said with a sigh, leaning against the wall.

"Are you okay? Was I interrupting something? You sound off."

"I'm fine. I just...something weird is happening, and I can't put my finger on it," she confessed. The elevator doors slid open and she walked towards her room. She used her free hand to pull her key-card out of the back pocket of her black jeans. She walked into her hotel room, shutting the door behind her. "Seth joined me for a drink tonight. Out of the blue."

"You sound surprised."

"I am. We never crossed paths in The Authority. I'm surprised he even knows who I am. And I can't help but wonder if Stephanie set it up to make me look stupid."

"She sounds incredibly petty."

"You have no idea. I've been waiting for her to get tired of me for over a year and a half now, and it's just not happening." She sighed, kicking off her shoes. "It was why I got my hopes up that I could possibly end up on _SmackDown_. But, it's not going to happen."

"There's still a chance. Nothing's ever final. Just...keep your head up, okay, Princess? Remember, they might have their own little world, but they still have to adhere to business practices. Remember that if it gets really out of hand."

"There's the real world, and here's what they'll do. Remember - I'm under lock and key for the next three years. They won't let me go. I tried that. If I leave, or walk out or quit, then they freeze my contract, and then I don't get paid and I don't go anywhere." Her father sighed. He had been so happy for her when she had landed her dream job; watching it turn into a nightmare was devastating.

"Maybe you're right, Jory. Maybe something is happening. And maybe you're so conditioned to think that it's going to go against you, but maybe this time around, you can make it work in your favor."

"That would be nice, but I'm losing faith in fairy-tales."

"Just trust me on this. I think before you know it, you'll find your footing again." She sank down on the bed, a tight smile on her face.

"I'll try and believe that."

"That's my girl."

"Is Tabitha over tonight?" During their last date, her father had dropped the bombshell that he was, in fact, dating again.

"She isn't, but we're going to go out and see a movie tonight. What time are you getting in on Wednesday?"

"Around one."

"How about we go and get lunch?"

"I think that sounds great."

"Oh - Tabitha's here. I'm going to let you go. I just wanted to call and check in. Keep your chin up, okay?"

"Okay, Daddy. I will."

"I love you, Princess."

"I love you, too." They said their goodbyes and she hung up, dropping her cell phone on the bed beside her. She fell back, her legs dangling over the edge. Even after a phone call with her father, the bubble of suspicion and paranoia still lingered in the pit of her stomach.

 _What is his game? Just what is Seth trying to pull here?_


	7. SummerSlam

**Chapter 6:**

 **SummerSlam**

* * *

Seth sank down on the bed, physically and mentally spent.

For the second year in a row, _SummerSlam_ took place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. With a crowd of close to sixteen thousand people, it was supposed to be Seth's big night to shine. It was supposed to be the night where the number one draft pick for _Raw_ became the first-ever WWE Universal Champion. To get his hands on the shiny red belt, however, he'd had to get through Finn Balor, an NXT standout who had built a strong name overseas, in Ireland and Japan. Finn was the founder of the independent stable The Bullet Club, known for being hard-hitting and theatrical, an extremely marketable mix.

It had been a physical match - Seth didn't expect anything less - but once again, The Architect came up short. Finn now had the honor of being the first-ever Universal Champion, with his name in the WWE history books. Seth's name would come up as the loser, something that always stung him when he lost. Even as a child, he never took losing well. A natural sore loser, Seth often bordered on being a sore winner as well.

Backstage had been somber, and for once it had nothing to do with Seth failing in his quest to please The Authority, something that was becoming more and more impossible with each passing day; it was because Finn had been injured by Seth early in the match. It was an extra helping of salt in his raw wounds, the knowledge that he'd been beaten by a man who had the use of only one of his arms. Seth sighed; both of them had given it everything they had, but when it came down to it, Finn wanted it just a little bit more. But there was no telling how severe his injury was until the morning. There was no time for Stephanie to be angry at him; she had been too busy with Foley fretting over Finn, who spent the rest of the night packed in ice and wrapped in saran wrap.

He thought about the card and realized that Jory hadn't been on any pay-per-view events since leaving The Authority. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Stephanie had been abusing her power over Jory for a long time. Seth assumed it was why she had been so defensive when he showed up at the bar. Even if she had been hostile and feisty, he didn't regret the decision. If anything, she understood his situation better than anyone, having been in it.

His thoughts drifted back to Finn. Of course, he felt terrible that Finn had been hurt. But it was a physical business, and sometimes accidents happened. And if Finn had to relinquish his newly won championship twenty-four hours after winning it, Seth knew that he was more than ready, willing, and able to step up and claim it. _Because you've been doing such a bang-up job, Number One Draft Pick_ , he thought to himself mockingly. Seth groaned, clapping a hand over his face. There was no way that Stephanie could possibly be happy with him for coming up short once again. He'd spent the rest of the night keeping a low-profile, like a dog that knew it had done something wrong. He had been beating himself up enough for losing _and_ hurting Finn; the last thing he needed was Stephanie lashing him, too. For how bad his thoughts could be, Stephanie's words were twice as potent and hurtful. She had a way of cutting the biggest men down to size. He wanted to avoid that.

* * *

Dressed in a pair of black leggings with the Misfits skull logo on the knees and a loose flowing black crop top, Jory followed Renee and their new friend Nia Jax into the hotel bar. It hadn't been Jory's intention to go for a post-show drink, but Nia and Renee had tag-teamed her into going. The initial introduction between Nia and Jory had been a little tense - Nia, of course, had heard stories about Jory - but afterward, the mood seemed to lighten and Jory was relieved that the two of them were getting along.

A fresh call-up from the NXT roster, Nia Jax had legitimate wrestling royalty in her blood. Jory liked her right away, the take-no-bullshit attitude that radiated from her was a breath of fresh air. Jory was surprised it was just the three of them having a girl's night, but Renee revealed that Dean and Roman were having a guy's night out of their own. The trio hadn't gone far; they were at the hotel bar. It was the compromise Nia and Renee had made.

They sat at a table and Renee ordered Cosmopolitans - it was supposed to be a _Sex and the City_ reference, but Jory had no idea what Renee was talking about. When the waitress disappeared, Jory found that Renee and Nia were staring at her with a new suspicion that hadn't been at the arena, or in the car on the ride over. She looked at them, cocking an eyebrow. "What?"

"We need to talk, Moody," Renee informed her, sitting back in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What? What's going on?"

"Excuse you, honey, but were you _ever_ going to tell me about your little night out with Seth Rollins?" Nia turned to Jory with a gleeful expression on her face, excited for her first big piece of _Raw_ gossip. Jory clapped a hand over her face and groaned, but Renee was having no part of it. "You'd better talk, Moody!"

"There's nothing to talk about, Renee. And that was a while ago. How the hell did you even find out?" Renee went on her phone, and Jory felt a jolt in her nerves. Nia was looking at Renee's phone. Jory sighed, regretting her decision to come out with them. Renee held up the phone to Jory, who sighed. "It's not what you think. I went out for a drink on draft night - _alone_ \- and he showed up. I didn't want him around. It wasn't long, and I made it clear I didn't want him near me. I didn't even finish my drink. For his sake _and_ mine, I kept telling him to get lost."

"No way that's it. You two look cozy there."

"Fuck. You think Hunter and Stephanie have seen this? There could be some trouble if they have." She looked at Renee. "Would you quit looking at me like this? Forget the caption - this is a non-story. We aren't a thing. We barely know each other. I'm surprised he even knew my fucking name!" She shook her head. "If they see this picture..."

"I think there are bigger problems, with Seth losing the Universal title tonight," Nia replied. Renee nodded.

"You know his days are numbered." It wasn't an accusation from Renee, but a flat statement. Jory nodded.

"Sure do. I lived it before. It's easy to see the trainwreck when you're on the other side of it." The waitress arrived with the drinks. They toasted to another _SummerSlam_ in the books before they took a sip of their drinks. Renee picked up the menu and started looking for appetizers. Jory sighed; Renee looking at the menu meant she was probably in for the late night she had been trying to avoid.


	8. Strange Bedfellows

**Chapter 7:**

 **Strange Bedfellows**

* * *

 _"Every apple here is rotten, every blessing is a curse. Every word is a lie you best..."_

"Oh, fuck right off," Seth huffed, killing the ignition. He made no move to get out of his rental car right away; instead, he sat in silence, staring at the well-lit front entrance of the hotel. He spotted Dean and Renee walking together across the parking lot, hand in hand and all smiles. Renee's loud laughter echoed, through the night, making Seth wince when it hit his ears. He was surprised by the pang of jealousy he felt inside his chest at the sight of his old teammate smiling, flanked by the woman he loved. It was a stark contrast to the bitterness and rage he usually felt for Dean. The emotions caught him by surprise, and he gripped the steering wheel tightly instead of pounding his fists against the leather. He had his suspicions that what he felt was a direct result of being humbled in front of everyone.

As angry as he was, there was a little voice in the back of his head telling him that he should have seen it coming. Hunter and Stephanie were fickle by nature; their loyalties to people seemed to change with the seasons. He sighed, remembering the day of his knee surgery in Birmingham, Alabama. He could still see everything as clear as a bell inside his head; the bright hospital room, the gigantic bouquet of flowers they brought him. They had assured him that everything would be fine, that injuries happened to the best of people. He was still "their boy", he was still the Face of the WWE. He had felt relieved after they left, even though the little voice in the back of his head told him he was being naive. He wanted to believe it was sincerity he saw in their eyes, in their smiles. Now, he knew it meant nothing. He'd never felt so disgusted with himself in his entire life. His professional Earth had been scorched, and in the rubble, he stood alone, with no friends or allies to help him. It was an overwhelming feeling, going to war with people he had seen as family. Kevin Owens was the new Golden Boy now, Hunter's hand-picked pet of the year and the brand-new Universal Champion.

With a defeated sigh, Seth got out of the car and moved to the back to get his suitcase out of the trunk. He spotted a group of fans at the edge of the parking lot. He kept his hood up and his head down so nobody would recognize him, wheeling the suitcase behind him.

"Hey – hey, man! Are you Seth Rollins? You're Seth Rollins, aren't you?"

He didn't answer; instead, he kept moving towards the front door, desperate to get into his room and put an end to his awful night. "You fucking suck, Rollins. You're a little bitch. Fucked over your boys, and what did it get you? Dickhead."

His nerves vibrated at the name-calling, but he kept his gaze on the glass doors, even though his first instinct was to approach them looking for a fight. With a shake of his head, he pulled open the door and walked into the hotel lobby, thankful to see it was empty, with the exception of the brunette front desk agent looking down at his computer. He looked up at Seth and smiled. "Hello. Checking in?"

"I am." Seth crossed the lobby, approaching the desk. He noticed the employee's name-tag read STEVE. He was sure that Steve could feel the tension radiating from every pore. "The reservation is under Rollins."

There was a clacking of keys and a quick search for a registration card. He looked up at Seth, and he saw something flicker in the young man's eyes. "I'm sorry...would the reservation be under any other name?"

Seth exhaled. "No. It would be under Rollins. _Seth. Rollins._ "

"I'll check again, Mr. Rollins, but I don't see anything here." Seth ran his tongue along the inside of his cheek, struggling to keep his temper in check as he listened to the clacking of the keyboard. Steve shook his head. "I'm really very sorry, Mr. Rollins, but I don't have it here. Are you sure you're in the right place? People confuse us for Marriott all the time because it's just down the road."

"I have a confirmation e-mail," Seth said with a sigh.

"Would I be able to see it?"

Seth let go of his suitcase and reached into the pocket of his hoodie for his phone. He pulled up the email and handed it to the employee, resisting the urge to throw it at him. While Steve read over the confirmation e-mail, Seth struggled to keep his breathing in check. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Rollins. Sometimes these things happen – the e-mails don't make it to us from our central reservations..."

"You're full." It wasn't accusatory; Steve noted that the man in front of him sounded tired.

"It's the jazz festival this week. Every hotel in the area is sold out." Seth's shoulders slumped. _This would be how my night would end,_ he thought bitterly. The idea of going back to his car, past those nasty fans, wasn't something he was looking forward to. "If you'd..."

"I just...I think I need a minute. It's been a long night. Is that cool?"

"Yeah, sure. I'll start looking around for some openings. There might be something somewhere. Have a seat. There's coffee if you'd like..."

"Yeah, thanks." Grabbing his suitcase, Seth went to the red velvet lounger and sat down heavily, putting his head in his hands. He wanted to scream. _A jazz festival seriously filled the whole fucking city? Really?_ His mind was moving in a million different directions, trying to figure out some kind of alternative plan. He was beaten and exhausted, and the thought of sleeping in his car or driving to the next town early didn't appeal to him as much as a hot shower and a comfortable bed did. The idea of facing those belligerent fans in the parking lot didn't add anything to his predicament, either.

He heard the glass door open and heard some noise outside, but he kept his head down. When the door closed, the noise disappeared, so he knew right away it wasn't the group. He was thankful for that, having reached his threshold of abuse for the evening. He kept his head down and his hood drawn. It wasn't often, but Seth wished that he could just vanish, disappear into thin air. He wondered if anyone would miss him these days.

"Seth?"

Before he could stop himself, he looked up at the woman in a Parental Advisory hoodie that was at least four sizes too big for her small frame. Giant sunglasses covered her face, along with the hood that was dangerously close to blinding her, it fell so low. He inwardly groaned as she pulled the hood back and he realized it was Jory. The plastic shopping bag that had been draped over her arm was on the lounger across from him; through the bag, he could see she had gone on an ice cream and beef jerky run.

Out of everyone he could have possibly run into, she was definitely at the top of the list of people he wanted to avoid. She was just like him, both of them falling and out of favor with Hunter and Stephanie. He was sure she had an earful for him, full of judgment like Roman and Dean. Seth stayed silent while she rounded the furniture and sat down across from him. He could feel the awkwardness radiating from her. "Hey. I'm sorry to bother you. I know you probably want to be left alone right now, but...are you okay? Usually, the sulking happens in private."

He shot her a look, his eyes narrowing. The flicker in her eyes made his glare soften and he sighed, placing his hands on his knees. "No. I'm, like, really far from okay, Jordana. But I don't think I needed to tell you that."

"You want to talk about it?"

"No." She nodded, and he noticed that she didn't appear to be stung by the sharpness of his tone.

"Fair enough. Is there a reason you aren't checked in yet?" she asked. Seth sighed, and she raised her hands in mock surrender. The move was enough to deflate Seth's temper.

"There was a mix-up. There's no room."

"And of course, the jazz festival has kind of thrown a monkey wrench into fixing things. I get it." She stood. He looked up at her, surprised. "I checked in before the show tonight. I booked a king room but they gave me a room with two beds instead." She looked at the front desk employee, who was looking through a binder of information. Jory turned back to Seth. "Look, I know we don't really know each other, and it probably isn't ideal with the night you've had, but I've got the extra bed and I'm not rooming with anyone." She picked up her shopping bag. "I'm room three twenty-five. I know you're going to do what you're going to do, but it probably beats sleeping in your car." She looked down at him and offered him a sad smile. "I know it hurts, but this doesn't define you. It took me a little while to realize that."

She walked away. He turned to watch her move towards the elevator. Seth expected her to turn back and look at him, but she didn't. Turning back to his suitcase, he began to run through the pros and cons of taking her up on her offer. In the end, he knew that she was right – it was a comfortable bed to sleep in and a hot shower to soothe the aches and pains that came with the beating he took. With a sigh, he stood and grabbed his suitcase.

"Don't worry about it – I'm gonna room with a coworker," Seth told Steve. He saw the relief on the young man's face. "Thanks, though." He didn't wait for Steve to reply; he crossed the lobby and made it to the elevator quickly. Seth stopped, surprised to find Jory holding the door open for him. Without a word, he slid past her and took his place in the elevator. She released her hold on the door open button and the elevator doors slid shut.

The two of them rode up to the third floor in silence. Reaching into the pocket of her hoodie, she handed him the second key-card, still in the envelope. He looked at her. "What's this for?" he asked.

"It's your room, too. In case you need to do anything. I know hotel coffee is kind of awful on even the best days." He nodded, taking the key from her and sliding it into the pocket of his jeans.

"Thanks." The elevator opened and he stood to the side to let her out first. He followed behind her. The hallways were empty, and he could see that she was just as relieved as he was about that. She opened the door to the room and held it open for Seth to go through.

The first thing he noticed was that she kept her hotel room immaculate. The second bed hadn't even been touched. Her laptop was on the nightstand beside her bed, closed. Her suitcase, black and imprinted with a Ouija board design on the front, was leaned against the wall beside the desk. He noticed a padlock hanging through the zipper.

"I asked housekeeping for extra towels earlier, so there should be more than enough if you want to have a shower and clean up. My first aid kit is in there, with some Icy Hot patches and Advil if you need it. Help yourself." She held up the shopping bag. "There's comfort food in here, too, if you need it. Help yourself, but don't make a move for the mocha almond. That's mine." Seth nodded. He watched her put the pints of ice cream in the freezer. She bought three. He wondered why, but he didn't ask any questions.

He placed his suitcase on the bed and opened it up, hunting for his sweatpants and a shirt. Holding his clothing in his hand, he turned to Jory. "I can pay for half the room..."

"That's not why I'm doing this. Your money's no good."

"I can't..."

"If you absolutely have to do something, I love white chocolate mochas and cranberry scones. You got breakfast." Seth nodded.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked.

"If it makes you feel better, I've done this before. I mean, just for Renee, but you know." Seth winced at the mention of his former friend. "Just...get yourself settled. I know you've got to be tired." Seth nodded. He disappeared into the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind him. She quickly changed into her pajamas, opting out of her favorite nightgown for plaid drawstring pants and a black tank top. Tying her hair back, she went to the freezer and got herself the almond mocha pint and a spoon. While Seth had his shower, she settled on the bed and turned on her laptop, looking to get back into the first season of _American Horror Story._

* * *

In the shower, Seth stood under the hot stream of water and sighed as it hit a sore patch at the base of his neck. The water was as hot as he could stand it; he knew he was going to be navigating through the fog when it was over. He stretched, wincing at the sudden bolt of pain he felt in his shoulder. The realization that he was now engaged in war with Hunter and Stephanie was giving him anxiety. With no friends or allies, he had no idea what he was going to do, what his next steps were going to be. They weren't going to let him go without making his life miserable, and he didn't have the faintest idea of how to mount an offense for it.

He thought about Jory on the other side of the door, probably sitting on the bed elbow deep in her pint of ice cream. He wondered how she had been coping since they had thrown her out of The Authority and started relegating her to house shows, _Superstars,_ and other small-scale shows that a lot of the fan-base didn't get to see. He knew it had to have been a hard fall for her, being their little princess to being a "nobody".

She had been blonde back then. Seth had never paid her any mind, but he remembered her ring gear had been pretty revealing. She'd fit their mold exactly like a puzzle piece. After some of the things he had done in his personal and professional life, Hunter and Stephanie made it clear he wasn't to interact with her. He wondered if it was because they thought they were going to ruin each other, or if there was something else at play, but neither of them was ever going to have a chance to find out at the time. After his last public scandal, Hunter had sat him down and talked to him, pretty much forbidding him from getting involved with the female talents. He was champion at the time, so he was more than happy to go along with that. It was only a few months later that Jory had been thrown out of their little group, and he'd paid her no mind. As awful as it sounded, he had forgotten about her. It never crossed his mind to seek her out and ask what happened.

He stretched his left side, not at all surprised at the pain in his ribs. _Karma repaid me in spades tonight_ , he thought with a sigh. It was the first time since June 2, 2014, that he really and truly regretted swinging the chair at Dean and Roman. He'd had his reasons, he supposed, but none of them were good now. With an angry sigh, he shut off the shower and reached for a towel on the rack. Wrapping it around his waist, he stepped out of the tub, not at all surprised at the thick steam. He looked down at his leg, at the scar on his knee, and he shook his head. If only he'd known then what he knew now.

He looked at the white box on the counter, Jory's first aid kit. He had to admit that he was impressed; she had everything he could think of. He took two strips of Icy Hot and placed them on his shoulders and took two Advil tablets. While it was nice of her to do this for him, he wasn't sure what she wanted, and he wasn't sure how to ask. She was friends with Renee, which made her friends with Dean and Roman by proxy. He could only imagine the things she had probably heard about him, especially from Dean. Seth looked in the mirror, surprised that he was even worried about that. _This night has taken more out of me than I thought. Fucking hell._

After he changed into his pajamas, Seth left his towel on the rack and walked out into the main room, taking a deep breath as the cold air hit him. He looked over at Jory, who was engrossed in something on the bed, absently eating her ice cream. Seth sat down on the other side. "Chatting with your guy?" he asked. He instantly felt stupid for saying that. The look she gave him didn't do anything to make him feel better.

"No guy. I'm actually just working my way through the first season of _American Horror Story_. My sister's a huge fan of it. I know I'm a bit late to the game, but she's been needling me about it."

"I heard it was good. How are you finding it?"

"Not too bad. Not as scary as I'd hoped." She laughed. "But it is TV." He watched her get off the bed, grabbing the lid of her ice cream. She went to put it back in the freezer.

"What kind of ice cream do you have?" he asked.

"There's chunky monkey or green tea. Which did you want?"

"Green tea." She thought about putting her ice cream in the freezer but decided at the last moment that she was going to have more. She grabbed another spoon and returned to the bed, handing Seth his ice cream. "Thanks. You didn't have to do any of this for me."

"It's fine. I think it would have been lousy of me to let you sleep in your car with a spare bed right here. Do you snore, though? You gotta tell me if you snore."

"Dean always said I did, but I think he was just trying to pin it on me."

"He would do that," she laughed. "He seems like he would, anyway."

"Thanks again."

"You don't have to thank me, Seth." They fell silent. "If you want to talk it out, I've been told I'm a good listener."

"I think I'm okay for tonight." She nodded.

"Okay. I just thought I'd ask." They fell silent. "If you want to come over here and watch this with me, I don't have cooties," she promised. Seth smirked.

"You'd tell me if you did, though, right?"

"Right." Seth shook his head and sighed, but he got off the bed. Jory shifted to let him on, adjusting the laptop in the middle of the bed so they could both eat ice cream and watch.


	9. The Day After

**Chapter 8:**

 **The Day After**

* * *

Seth crept quietly back into the hotel room, armed with two coffees and two paper bags with different things inside. He moved carefully, doing his best not to let the door slam behind him, or make any kind of unnecessary noise while Jory slept. Seth wasn't sure what kind of a morning person she was, or what kind of morning rituals she had, but he knew that he didn't want to infringe on them if he didn't have to. He'd inconvenienced her enough, robbing her of what he assumed was much-wanted alone time. _She went from plans of eating ice cream alone with her show to gaining the most awkward and moody roommate ever_ , he thought. He knew it wasn't an ideal situation for either of them, but he was amazed to learn that she was incredibly gracious. They didn't know each other; they weren't friends, but she still opened up her room to him, and for that, he was eternally grateful. Sleeping in his car would have been miserable. He'd done it enough over the years to know.

It had been a very late night, wrapped in the tension of unspoken words and unasked questions. Jory had fallen asleep first, a while after Seth put away his ice cream and went back to his bed. While she slept, he lay awake in the dark, thinking about the road he had traveled since getting hurt last September. He couldn't stop thinking, replaying the scene when they had come to visit him at the hospital with bouquets as big as their smiles. He had been so dejected, defeated, and depressed. It wasn't how he had envisioned. But they had made him feel better. Were they being disingenuous then? Had they already decided he was not The Guy? When had they decided that Kevin Owens was going to be their hill to die on? He'd seen nothing in their faces that day, but looking back, he found himself searching for any kind of sign that he might have missed. His mother always said hindsight was twenty-twenty, but things still weren't clear.

What he did know was that his first order of business was going to be getting his hands on Hunter. He wasn't delusional enough to believe it would make him feel better, but it was going to be a start. Hunter had betrayed him, and even though he should have seen it coming, it did nothing to soothe the sting of his ego and the pain of the blade in his back. He looked at Jory's sleeping form and wondered about her unceremonious exit from the group. She had yet to get any kind of revenge; Hunter and Stephanie effectively benched her and swept her under the rug. There was so much he wanted to ask her, but his mind was still jumbled by Hunter's betrayal.

There was a house show later in the day, and Seth was supposed to be facing Roman in the main event. Hunter and Stephanie weren't going to be there. He knew they were probably already back home at their estate in Connecticut, posting videos of their midnight workouts like everything was normal.

But nothing was normal for him.

The idea of facing his colleagues was almost unbearable. He'd thrown everything away for something he thought was guaranteed. He'd thrown away a brotherhood because Hunter and Stephanie told him everything he wanted to hear. _The reality is, too, you probably still would have been world champion with or without The Authority. You just would have had your friends, too,_ he thought to himself bitterly. Walking over to the nightstand between the two beds, he placed the coffee down with the bags. Claiming his coffee and his bag - there was a breakfast quiche inside - he sat down on the bed and kicked his shoes off. Across from him, Jory was still sleeping, completely undisturbed by his movements.

He learned she was a side sleeper, and she didn't snore, but she mumbled in her sleep. All in all, he found she was a great roommate. Once he said he didn't want to talk about his night, the topic died and never came up again. They watched a few episodes of _American Horror Story_ together - she'd answered a few of his questions, they'd both been wildly amused by Jessica Lange. She gave him ice cream - he made a mental note that mocha almond was her favorite - and access to a first aid kit that had been amazing. His favorite thing, however, was how neat and tidy she was. Over the years he'd been forced to room with some amazing people who had awful habits. Rooming with Dean had almost driven him insane; Dean was messy and disorganized. He'd drop his things anywhere and everywhere when he got back from the arena. Then he'd have to help Dean find his things before checkout. One time, Dean had even lost the United States title. He still couldn't figure out how Dean misplaced it in such a small space - they ended up finding it behind the desk. Seth smirked at the memory; he'd been so happy when Dean got together with Renee and they started rooming together. "He's your problem now," Seth had joked, but he had been serious. Seth was convinced that Dean would have forgotten his head if it weren't attached.

Seth was startled by the blaring sound of a wailing guitar. He recognized it quickly as Coheed & Cambria's "Welcome Home". It took him a second or two more to realize it was the alarm on Jory's phone. Her eyes opened, and she was startled to find Seth across from her, cross-legged on the bed in basketball shorts and a Black & Brave T-shirt, drinking coffee. His hair was down and around his face. "Good morning," she greeted with a sheepish laugh, reaching for her phone to shut off the alarm.

"Good morning."

"This coffee is mine, I gather."

"Yep. White chocolate mocha. There's a cranberry scone in the bag, too."

"Wow. You've been busy this morning. My hero." She sat up and claimed her coffee and scone. He watched her take a sip and a wide smile form. "Fantastic. It's still warm. I love it."

"I kind of just got back," he offered.

"I didn't even hear you leave."

"You're a heavy sleeper," he observed. She nodded.

"It's why my alarm is loud enough to wake the dead," she said with a laugh.

"Coheed & Cambria is a pretty good choice." She laughed.

"Thanks." They fell quiet, sipping their coffees. "Did you sleep at all last night?" she asked.

"No." He didn't see any reason to lie to her. She nodded as if she had expected that. "So...what do you usually do in the mornings?"

"Well, it's Tuesday morning, and since there's a brand extension in effect, I get to go home a day earlier," she told him. Jory had to bite back a laugh at the shell-shocked expression on his face. It was the last answer he had expected. Because of their shared experience, he saw her as an ally. The idea of her not being at the show tonight, of him having to face everyone and their disapproving stares alone, left him feeling anxious.

"You're going home." Thrown out into the universe, Seth struggled not to cringe at how needy he sounded.

"Yeah. I've never been on the house show circuit. Like, ever. _'Big timers don't work house shows,'_ Hunter always told me. When everything...happened...it kind of stayed that way. They barely schedule me for _Raw_ or pay-per-views anyway, let alone think to book me at a house show. If they have a problem with what I've been doing, they haven't said anything yet."

"Oh." He couldn't hide his disappointment. She pulled back the covers and shifted so she was sitting like Seth, only with her feet on the floor.

"Nervous?"

"A bit, yeah."

"Don't worry. You're Seth Rollins. It might take a couple weeks, but you'll be in everyone's good graces in no time." She got out of bed, drinking her coffee as she walked over to her suitcase. Seth snorted. "In time, your crew might even overlook the things you've done."

"I don't _ever_ see that happening," Seth said with a sigh, sipping his coffee. "I messed that up pretty bad. You know Dean."

"Yeah, I do. And I'm willing to bet he's going to forgive you at some point. He'll make you wait it out, though. And you kind of deserve it," she pointed out. "Just like I deserve the things I get for the things I've done. We all have to face consequences for the things we do."

"You still...?"

"Yeah. I'm not ready to talk about that at this hour." Seth nodded.

"Thank you. For letting me stay."

"Thank you for the coffee. Saves me having to make a run."

"Are you really sure you don't want me to chip in for the room? I mean..."

"I meant what I said last night - your money is no good." She dropped a navy blue matching bra and underwear set on the bed that Seth had to struggle not to look at, followed by a pair of black tights and a long black tank top with rows and rows of fringe down the front. She gathered her things and moved towards the bathroom. "I had the extra bed anyway, whether you were here or not."

The bathroom door closed. Seth turned his attention to her open suitcase, his eyes falling on the padlock hanging over the handle. She emerged moments later, dressed, her pajamas tucked into a ball under her arm. He turned to her. "Have you ever thought about saying fuck it and just going to a house show?" he asked. She shook her head.

"Facing those guys won't be as bad as you think. Trust me. Most of them have known you for a long time."

"Can I ask if things have gotten better for you?"

"It's only starting to for me." She put the clothing in her suitcase and reached for her beauty bag. "But I'm not Seth Rollins," she added, going back to the bathroom to put herself together for the day.

* * *

 _How did the Seth Rollins Apology Tour go?_

Jory sat on her couch, underneath a throw blanket, sipping a cup of tea. She had been surprised on the flight home to learn that after separating, Seth had followed her on Twitter _and_ Instagram. With a smile, she had followed him back. With the arrogance beaten out of him, she found she liked Seth more when he was laid-back and humble.

 _New Day's on board. Nobody else is yet._

 _New Day would be on board first._ She couldn't help but giggle. Xavier Woods, Big E and Kofi Kingston were three fun-loving individuals. Xavier hosted his own video gaming channel that she watched from time to time - it depended on the guests. _Cesaro's cool. He doesn't care. He said he probably would have done it too._

 _At least someone acknowledges it._ She sent the message. _How did the match with Roman go?_

 _I won._

 _Congrats._ She sipped her tea.

 _What are your plans this weekend?_

 _I meet up with my dad tomorrow for dinner and a movie. Not sure what we're seeing yet._

 _Sounds like fun._

 _It's great. He's seeing this new woman - Tabitha. I get to meet her._

 _I hope you have fun._

 _I will. Have a safe trip back to Iowa tomorrow._

 _Thanks, Jordana. I appreciate that. I am going to go get some rest. Have a good night._

 _You, too._

Putting her phone down, she settled in to watch the last episode of her show. She knew at the end of the day that Seth would be just fine without The Authority. It was the only thing that provided her a little bit of comfort about her situation; someone had to come out of The Authority ahead. It sure wasn't going to be her. All she had to do was work on not getting injured so they didn't freeze her contract for longer. She'd learned when she signed that they had the option to do that, to freeze her contract while she was injured.

She felt a little bitterness, even though she knew it was going to be fine for Seth. It hadn't been fine for her. She had been branded, and her things still got vandalized from time to time. The "future planning", becoming the "total package", none of it had been worth it in the end. All she could do now was sit on the sidelines and hope that Seth got some modicum of revenge. If she couldn't do anything, then she would have to get her revenge vicariously through him.


	10. Doing Time

**Chapter 9:**

 **Doing Time**

* * *

Jory sat alone on a trunk in the loading dock area of the arena, her knees crooked up as she sketched an idea she had for new ring gear. It was the most elaborate piece she'd ever sketched out, completed with a huge entrance robe. It was almost queen-like. As the days passed, she found herself thinking more and more about the things she wanted to do when her WWE contract finally came to an end. There was no way they could force her to accept a new contract when the time came up, and more and more, places like New Japan, Ring of Honor and Impact seemed like appealing options. She knew a few people on the independent scene who were surviving just fine without the WWE machine behind them. She had no doubt she'd be just fine.

It was a bad attitude to have, she knew, but she was spinning her wheels. Until her contract expired, she was stuck in place, and it was an awful feeling, being stuck under The Authority's thumb. Mick Foley wasn't a much-needed ally; if anything, he went from being the Hardcore Legend to Stephanie's lapdog. It always stung Jory watching Stephanie lash Mick verbally week in and out. It pained her, even more, to watch him cower and take it. He was Cactus Jack. He was Mankind. He was an important part of the McMahon bottom line during the Attitude Era, and it didn't seem to earn him an ounce of respect.

"Hey, you. We need to talk."

Jory looked up to see Nia approach, dressed in her red and black ring gear. She was returning backstage after squashing a local competitor in the ring. Shutting her notebook, Jory swung her legs over the side of the trunk and shifted so Nia had space to sit down beside her. Dressed in her black and red gear, Jory noted that Nia hadn't even broken a sweat during her match. "What's up?" she asked as Nia sat down and made herself comfortable.

"I heard from a little birdie that you roomed with an architect last week, and I want some details."

"Oh, God." Jory rolled her eyes. "Well, there are no details to share. It was nothing." Nia shot Jory a look of suspicion, making the brunette exasperated. "Tell me, Nia - who was the little birdie that snitched?"

"Who do you think?"

"Renee," they said in unison after a moment's silence. She sighed. "She saw him leaving your hotel room," Nia revealed.

"It's not what you think, so stop looking at me like that. It's not like that _at all_."

"And what am I thinking?"

"Like I'm announcing that out here in the open." Nia laughed. "No. It just...there was a mix-up with his room. I found him in the lobby having a nervous breakdown. I got to the hotel and found out my room type had been overbooked, so I ended up in a room with an extra bed. So I let him have it. I wasn't using it." She looked at Nia. "Stop looking at me like that, seriously."

"Sorry. I just didn't know you knew him."

"I don't, really. I've just...I've been in his spot. At least that's what I thought." She shook her head in disgust, recalling earlier in the night. She had been at the monitor, watching Seth confront Stephanie for an explanation. He had gone looking for answers, and to Jory's surprise, Stephanie had been far more accessible to Seth than she had been to Jory after her ejection. "But it's looking like he hasn't really seen things for what they are yet. If that's what he wants to do..."

"You're upset about that."

"Disappointed, more. I thought he was smarter than that," she said with a sigh. "Stephanie's excuse was so flimsy it would blow away in a soft breeze."

Nia nodded. She couldn't argue with that. Nia hadn't believed it when she had heard it, and she was surprised Seth seemed to accept it at face value. She looked down at the black notebook in Jory's hand. "What's that?" she asked, reaching out and grabbing the book.

"Nothing..." Jory trailed off when Nia opened the book and took a look at the designs.

"Oh, these are _cute_. I love this one. Are you going to get them made?"

"Maybe. If I ever see the inside of a ring again." She took the notebook back. "It's just some ideas I had."

"Hey."

The two of them turned their heads to see Seth approaching, dressed in his tights and his latest T-shirt. His hair was already wet and hanging around his face. Nia grinned, forcing Jory to nudge her with an elbow, a silent admonition to stop being so messy. Nia shifted and slid off the bench. "I need to go clean up. I'll see you later." Jory nodded.

"Sure thing."

"Get those designs made. I want to see them on you." Jory offered her a tight smile. Seth turned his attention to her, curious. Nia walked past Seth. "She's all yours," Nia told him as she passed. Seth chuckled.

"Thanks." He turned back to Jory, taking Nia's spot on the trunk. "How's it going tonight? I, uh, saw you aren't wrestling again tonight."

"Yeah. It's been a few months. Thanks for pointing that out."

"I didn't mean to..." He cocked an eyebrow. "Are you okay?" he asked, noting that she was keeping a good amount of space between them on the trunk. _Did I misread everything last week?_ Seth wondered to himself. "You seem kind of upset."

"Me? No. I'm good. I'm good. I'm great," she said, a little too fast. Seth knew right away she was lying. He could see the imprint of disappointment and hurt in her eyes, and he was surprised at how much it stung him. "How about you? How's your night? Did you get all the answers you were looking for?"

"You saw that." She didn't respond. Seth nodded. He felt himself get a little defensive. "Stephanie assured me she had no idea what Hunter was doing."

"And you believe her." It was so flat that Seth couldn't tell if she was accusing him of something or asking him a question.

"I don't know what I believe."

"I should go. Stephanie would hate to see you slumming." She was surprised that he would even seek her out and sit with her for any reason. She could count on one hand the number of times they had spoken since separating at the hotel. She figured the gratitude he felt for the hotel room had dissipated, and they would go back to not acknowledging each other. She had no illusions that they were going to become friends because she was nice to someone having a bad night. At the end of all of it, he was still Seth Rollins, and she was still Jordana Moody. They were at different ends of the universe.

"Don't be mad, Jordana. I..."

"I'm not mad, Seth. It's not my life. It's not my career, either." She slid off the trunk. "We're all just doing our time here, in some way or another, I guess. In some way, you are, too. And you'll figure it out. I just hope it's before you end up like me. Protect yourself above all else. Nobody will do it for you." She shrugged, her sad smile making Seth feel awful. "Anyway, have a good night. I'm supposed to meet with Renee about something."

"Jordana..."

"Seriously, Seth. Part of protecting yourself is being seen with the right people around here. I'm not that girl." She gave him a nod. "Have a good night, Seth."

"Jordana..." He stayed seated on the trunk, his arms open wide. He watched her leave his sight without turning back, and it bothered him.

 _Every goddamn woman in my life_ , he thought to himself. _I'm good. I'm great. Why is it always a code for everything isn't fine?_ Seth thought to himself, knowing better than to voice such an opinion out loud.

But he knew, deep down, that Jory was right. How could he believe her?

There was no reason to believe a word that came out of Stephanie's mouth. She lived with Hunter. They did everything together. The two of them spent more time together than any couple on the roster. He knew there should have been no optimism on the matter, no belief. He knew their history as well as Jory did. Hunter and Stephanie were treacherous. They would throw anyone under the bus to save face. In Stephanie's case, it was usually her brother, Shane.

* * *

 _"I think your mouth should be quiet, cause it never tells the truth. So tell me, so tell me why, why does have to be this way? Why can't things ever change? So come down now, come down from your tower now."_

Jory emerged from the shower, drying her hair. The steam followed behind her. Her phone was still on the bathroom counter, blaring music. She was dressed in her pajamas, in red plaid boxer shorts and a black sports bra. She sat down at the edge of the bed, drying her hair, trying to brush off the disappointment she felt. He had gone to them, almost hat in hand, desperate to know what happened when it should have been clear. She thought it was clear to him. _It just goes to show that you don't know what somebody's thinking_.

For all his bluster, for all the loud talking, she knew that Seth was worried about his place. She was, too. Seth was talented. Jory had been on the ground floor when they decided to take out their frustrations on Daniel Bryan. And in the end, all the injuries, everything that had been done, it caught up to Bryan. She had her hand in things, and she knew that she deserved every ounce of punishment for it. There was no excuse; she'd been awful. It was hard for her to step back and see herself that way. _Blonde Jory was evil Jory. Nobody liked Blonde Jory. The jury is still out on Brunette Jory._

She was startled by a knock on her door. Grabbing a black tank top, she quickly put it on over her sports bra and ventured across the room. Looking through the peephole, she was surprised to see it was Nia. She opened the door. Nia was dressed in her pajamas, her hair back in a low ponytail. "Hey, Nia. What's up?" Jory asked, stepping to the side to let her into the room. Nia had a small bag in her hand.

"Not too much. I was checking in and ran into someone in the lobby. He asked me to give you this." Nia handed the bag off to Jory.

"It wasn't from Hunter, was it? Because if it was, it's probably anthrax." Nia laughed. Jory moved to the bed and sat down at the edge. Opening the bag, she reached in, surprised to see a pint of mocha almond ice cream.

"Not Hunter," Nia confirmed. "Better than anthrax?"

"Yeah." She sighed. "I know who you ran into."

"He feels bad. And I've got some questions."

"Of course you do, but my answer hasn't changed."

"He's buying you ice cream."

"It's ice cream. It doesn't mean we're married. Holy hell, Nia." Nia sat down beside her.

"He feels bad. I can see it."

"He's got nothing to feel bad about. It's his career. It's not mine." Jory snorted. "Besides, I'm not sure Seth Rollins is capable of feeling bad about _anything_."

"I think he is." They fell quiet. "He bought you ice cream, though."

"Oh my God, Nia. I like you, but holy shit." They laughed. Nia stood.

"Well, I'll let you get to texting him..." Jory shook her head, struggling not to laugh. Nia bid her goodnight and left. She looked at the ice cream. _Wow. He sprung for the good stuff, too._ She stared at it and wondered what she should do. After a moment, with a shrug, she got up to grab a spoon.

* * *

 _I assume you're the one Nia ran into in the lobby._

Sitting on the bed, back against the headboard, Seth stared at the text message with a giant smile on his face. He'd thought about getting a card with it, or sending the ice cream with a note, but he figured she would know who it came from. _Guilty as charged. I just wanted to apologize for earlier tonight. So...sorry about that._ He paused the show he was watching on his laptop.

 _There's no need to apologize. It's not my place to get involved with things._

Seth shook his head. _I get it. It's fine. It's actually nice to know someone's looking out for me._ There wasn't a reply for a few minutes, and Seth wondered if he had said something wrong, or if she had read it wrong.

 _I'll let you get back to your night. I just wanted to say thank you. You didn't have to do this._

 _I did. Have a good night, Jordana. See you next week._ He dropped the phone beside him and went back to his show, but he wasn't at all surprised to find himself distracted. In the end, he shut everything down and decided to call it a night. But even sleep didn't catch him quickly.


	11. An Opportunity

**Chapter 10:**

 **An Opportunity**

* * *

With a sigh of relief, _Raw_ General Manager Mick Foley leaned away from the paperwork on his desk and let his head fall back. So far, it had been a peaceful night; for the first time in a long while, Stephanie had to miss _Raw_ , giving him some much-needed space to do his work without her constant nitpicking and interference. It was a chance for him to do some things that he had wanted to do since day one. There was so much he wanted to do, but Stephanie and her vindictiveness always seemed to cut him off at the pass. Sure, he was sensitive, and he was aware of that; but he wasn't running a company. It was pretty clear to him that Stephanie was running the show based on her feelings.

Mick was aware when he signed up for the job that it wasn't going to be a walk in the park; it was more than likely to be a painful and unrewarding job, he knew. Out of the two McMahon children, Stephanie was definitely the more demanding of the two, and whether she wanted to admit it or not, she had adopted a lot of her father's less-than-stellar qualities. But he accepted the job because of his long, rich history with the McMahon family. The way Mick saw it, he owed it a lot. When the brass at World Championship Wrestling hadn't believed in him or known what to do with him, Vince had stepped in and let him do his thing. Both sides made a lot of money because of it.

Mick wasn't sure if the role of General Manager was going to be a long-term gig; Stephanie seemed annoyed with him since day one. She was angrier than usual these days, and he presumed it had to do with the situation that had arisen with Seth Rollins. It was a situation that they created. Over the years he had seen people go down this road with the McMahon family, and it always seemed to end the same way. He'd been in the same position before. But he knew that no matter what happened, Seth was good enough to bounce back from all of it. All he had to do was untangle himself from Hunter and Stephanie.

Mick readjusted his posture when he heard the timid knock on his door. "Come on in."

The door opened and he smiled when Jory walked inside, dressed in her ring gear, her hair pulled into a high ponytail. Mick noticed right away that she looked nervous. It wasn't a good look for a WWE Superstar, but Mick knew that her road had been incredibly rocky for a long time. Mick got up and left the desk, walking over to her, where the cameras were ready to film. "You wanted to see me?" she asked. He nodded.

"I did." He flashed her a reassuring smile, but it did nothing to calm her. "I've been watching you for a long time, Jordana, and I don't think it's much of a secret here that you haven't had much of a fair shake over the past while. We both know you've been on the sidelines, but you aren't hurt." Jory nodded, unsure of where he was going. Was he going to fire her on the air? Had The Authority finally grown tired of her?

Not quite.

"You always hear those guys over on _SmackDown Live_ talking about how their brand is the Land of Opportunity." She nodded. "That's great for them, but I think _Raw_ can do that, too. Do you think so?"

"Sure..."

"Good. Tonight, you've got a match against Charlotte."

Jory's eyes widened. She hadn't expected to do anything once again. "You're kidding."

"No. I'm actually quite serious, Jordana. Good luck out there tonight. I want to see what you can do."

"Wow. Thank you." It was her only hope that she wouldn't let him down.

* * *

"One. Two. _Three_!"

The bell rang and the crowd gasped in shock. Charlotte pushed forward, shoving Jory off her. Rolling underneath the bottom rope, Jory moved to the barricade, holding onto it while she tried to catch her breath. One hand on her chest, one on the barricade, her face a mask of total shock. Over the speakers, the techno music she hated so much blared. Jory and Charlotte stared at each other incredulously, neither one believing what had just happened. It had been a hard-fought, extremely physical match that could have gone either way. Jory had won with a surprise roll-up, and she was fully aware that she had gotten lucky. Charlotte was leagues above many of the women on the roster; the daughter of Ric Flair, when she said she was the queen, Jory believed it.

She was surprised to feel people slapping her on the hand and on the back. "Good job, Jordana!" somebody yelled. It was a surprising development. She pushed herself off the barricade and began to make her way up the ramp. Charlotte watched her from the ring, moving to the other side as Jory stepped onto the ramp. Charlotte was standing still, her hands on her hips, shaking her head. Instead of looking angry, Jory noticed that she looked amused. There was a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. Jory shrugged, and the two of them smiled at each other; she couldn't tell if it was because Charlotte was happy for her, or if she was envisioning kicking Jory's head clean off her shoulders.

She walked through the black curtain, surprised to be greeted by a round of applause. "Holy shit, what a fucking match!" Michael Hayes praised. He was dressed in a loud camouflage suit and a fedora. Jory couldn't help but laugh.

"Thank you. Thank you." She shook everyone's hands, even Vince's. It was intimidating. She noticed that he looked bored by what was transpiring around him, but he shook her hand nonetheless and told her she did a great job. When she got through with everyone, Jory left the area, trying to put as much space between herself and Charlotte as she could, in the event that the queen was angry.

"Wow, girly. What a match!"

Renee flew out of nowhere, wrapping her arms around Jory. It knocked her off balance a step, but she managed to regain her footing. Jory couldn't help but laugh. "Thanks. Wow."

"Wow is right. Countering the big boot into the Mood Ring was unbelievable. And those closing moments? Wow."

"You're way too good for my ego," she said with a laugh. The two of them walked towards catering. Along the way, everyone from the New Day to Bayley was offering her compliments and words of encouragement. Every time someone said something, it felt like her heart swelled even bigger. "I got lucky. Charlotte could have had my number at any moment."

"You've been out of the game too long. You are way better than you think you are."

Renee grabbed herself a cup of coffee in catering, while Jory grabbed a bottle of water. She turned to see Nia Jax approach, her phone in her hand. She was out of her ring gear, dressed in tights and a long tunic. "Girl, you are a trending topic on Twitter."

"Oh, God," Jory said with a laugh.

"I had no idea you could move like that. You've been holding out on me, Jordana," Nia teased.

"I've just been working on some new stuff. It was cool to try out some of it tonight."

"Some of those counters were unbelievable." Jory felt herself blush.

"I heard a certain someone was watching _real_ closely at the interview area," Nia said. Jory clapped a hand over her face. "I heard it from a little birdie."

Jory turned to Renee. "You are the absolute worst."

"The interview area is literally my place of business," Renee said, putting her arms up. "He joined me."

"He just tweeted that you killed it," Nia announced. Jory didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but she wanted the floor to open up and swallow her whole. "Look."

Jory pivoted as Nia took her place to the left, holding the phone up for Jory to see. "You'd better get on your phone and like this."

"Oh, my God. I'm going to go and get cleaned up. You two - you guys are ridiculous."

"Get on that phone!" Nia yelled after her. Jory rolled her eyes and left the duo in catering.

* * *

 _Nia told me to like your tweet, but that feels a little egotistical, so I'm just gonna text and say thank you for the kind words._

Seth was sitting cross-legged on his bed with a wide smile. _Just telling the truth. That match was wild. Never saw any of that when you were with The Authority._ He read it over and deleted everything after the world wild. _Where did you learn that stuff? Some of those reversals were insane!_

 _I have some friends back home I've been working with._

 _If you're ever in Iowa, you should stop by my school. I think a few of my students could learn a thing or two from you._

 _You're being too good for my ego. Thank you, though. I might have to take you up on it if I'm ever through._ Seth wondered what she was doing. Did she have a pint of ice cream? Was she using her first-aid kit? Was she out for a night on the town with Nia and Renee? He smiled. It had been the opportunity she had been dying to have for a long time.

He debated telling her the truth; that he had spoken to Mick personally before she made it to the arena about giving her a fair shot. It was meant to do something nice, since she had gone out of her way to be nice to him, but he didn't want her to get upset, and he certainly didn't want to make her uncomfortable. Seth knew that Stephanie probably tore a strip off Mick for doing it, but for the rest of the night, every time he passed Jory backstage, her smile was so wide and there was such a bounce in her step. It was the happiest he'd seen her backstage in a long time. _Honestly, that's something I'd love to see more._


	12. Building Momentum

**Chapter 11:**

 **Building Momentum**

* * *

Mick wasn't at all surprised to find Stephanie waiting for him when he arrived at his office after opening the show. She cut a statuesque figure, clad in a red skintight Herve Leger dress that fell to her calves, her brown hair brushed straight around her face. Stephanie waited for him with a curve of her hip and her arms crossed over her chest. When her eyes fell on him, they narrowed into slits. Mick knew it wasn't going to be a pleasant exchange.

"Did you think you were being cute with that little stunt you pulled last week?" Stephanie greeted, shifting so she was standing face to face with him. "Because it wasn't. It was a stupid, _stupid_ thing you did last week. Do I need to be here all the time, twenty-four-seven, to watch you? I took last week off with the confidence that you could do your job, but I see my confidence was misplaced." Mick remained silent. "Do I need to remind you of everything we talked about? Jordana Moody is _not_ what is best for this business, for this brand. I want to know just what in the _hell_ you were thinking, jeopardizing everything I've been working for, for us, for this brand." She shook her head in disgust. Whenever she scowled, Mick couldn't help but notice that she resembled her father to an alarming degree.

"What was I thinking? _What was I thinking_?" Mick almost yelled, his tone bordering on mocking. "I was thinking that in all of your talk about the Women's Revolution and equality, that there are a lot of female talents back here not getting their opportunity to shine. I was thinking that Jordana, for once, could use a break..."

"Jordana Moody had every break. We gave her everything she could have wanted, and she blew it," Stephanie reminded him angrily.

"Her brand isn't tarnished, Stephanie. Everyone saw that last week. She trended for two days. Everyone is talking about her match with Charlotte. She did incredible things last week. It's all I've been hearing about. The things I've seen and the things I've heard make me believe that she deserves more opportunity than she gets here, whether you want to admit that or not."

"Mick..." Stephanie started darkly. She trailed off when somebody knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Mick yelled. Stephanie was still glaring at him.

The door opened, and Stephanie almost became rabid at the sight of Jory in the doorway. There was a new confidence about her that Stephanie despised, a pep in her step and a giant smile that she longed to wipe off. Jory wore the same ring gear as the week before, her hair in a more flamboyant ponytail with crimped and braided strands. Jory's eyes fell on Stephanie and she stopped mid-step, her smile fading. The high she'd been riding all week suddenly disappeared, and the all-too-familiar feeling of self-doubt hit her like a punch in the gut. She could tell by the expression on Stephanie's face that they were going to pick up where they left off.

"You. Get out of my office. _Now_ ," she barked.

"This is actually _my_ office," Mick corrected. "And I asked for Jordana to come here."

"Hi, Mick." Jory ignored Stephanie as best she could, but she could feel the intense heat of Stephanie's glare on every exposed patch of skin. She was thankful that looks couldn't kill, because Stephanie would have incinerated her on the spot and left her ashes where they fell. With an angry huff, Stephanie stormed out of the office, bumping Jory's shoulder intentionally. Instead of pushing the issue, Jory didn't acknowledge anything until the door slammed behind Stephanie. "Classic," she murmured. Turning her attention to Mick, she smiled. "What can I do for you?"

"Well, Jordana, as you know, everyone has been buzzing about your match last week with Charlotte," he reminded her. She nodded; the response to the match, from both the fans and her colleagues, had been genuinely humbling. It had done quite a bit to thaw some of the ice between her colleagues; at the very least, people were looking at her with a newfound respect for her abilities. "So, I wanted to give you another opportunity tonight. Sasha Banks has asked for a match with you."

"You're kidding." Sasha was the _Raw_ Women's Champion.

"It's a non-title match," he added quickly.

"That's fine. This is a huge opportunity. Thank you. I won't let you down."

"I know you won't. Good luck out there tonight." Jory nodded and let herself out of Mick's office. Once outside the door, she found herself looking over both shoulders for any sign of Stephanie. When she got angry, the youngest McMahon child was unpredictable and unhinged. She had no illusions that Stephanie wouldn't attack her backstage.

"Jordana!"

She turned, relieved to see it was just Nia approaching. She draped an arm over Jory's shoulders. "I heard you got The Boss tonight."

"Apparently she asked for it."

"Yeah. She was talking a good game in the locker room."

"She would." Jory sighed. "I got lucky with Charlotte last week. Sasha's going to be tough."

"No tougher than Charlotte," Nia said with a shrug. They fell quiet, walking towards catering. Jory was grateful to have a backup with her. "So..."

"So what?"

"Did you do what I said? Did you like the tweet?"

"No."

"What are you doing?"

"I didn't like the tweet because I sent him a text, okay? And you...you gotta stop hanging around with Renee so much. She's a bad influence on you," Jory chastised.

"I think you're in denial."

"I think you're the worst." They looked at each other and broke into a fit of giggles.

"You know what I heard?" Nia asked. Her tone was hushed. They were at the catering table, getting a bottle of water.

"What did you hear?"

"I heard he talked to Foley last week about getting you a match."

"Where did you hear that?"

"The girls were talking about it. Someone overheard Seth and Foley talking." Jory shook her head.

"That's preposterous. There's no reason for him to do that for me," she said with a roll of her eyes.

"I can think of one..."

"Stop. Right where you are. Just. No. No way."

"Jordana..."

"Nia, there's no way. And can we not announce it that loud back here? He's still tied up with Stephanie and all that bullshit. The last thing we need to do is get him into more trouble than he's already in. Not to mention...can I have this? Like, does it have to mean...?"

"It doesn't have to mean everything. What you did was all you. It doesn't matter how you got the opportunity. All that matters is that you killed it." Nia unscrewed the cap of her water and took a sip. "Nobody can take that away from you."

"I guess. I need to go get ready. I'll see you later."

* * *

 _"One. Two. Three!"_

Jory rolled out of the ring quickly as the bell rang, her face a mask of shock. The techno music blared through the speakers. In the ring, Sasha was furious; she rushed at the ropes, her face an ugly scowl. It had been an incredibly physical match - the blood that trickled from her nose and the bruises on her hip bones was a reminder that Sasha Banks wasn't a talent to be taken lightly - but once again, Jory had squeaked out a victory. It had been a close call, a quick reversal of momentum in Sasha's roll-up. But the record books didn't care; it would only state that on this night, Jordana Moody had secured a victory against the WWE Raw Women's Champion, and she could tell by the look on Sasha's face that The Boss wasn't happy with the outcome.

In a perfect world, pinning the Women's Champion was a huge deal; it would mean that she was to be looked on as a number one contender, someone who deserved an opportunity at the title in the future. But she knew with Stephanie it was never going to happen; if she had it her way, Jordana Moody would never again represent the WWE as a Women's Champion.

Referee Chad Patton rushed up the ramp to her, grabbing her by the wrist and raising her arm high. The action made Sasha even angrier, as she kicked the bottom rope in frustration. Jory made no move to wipe the blood from her nose; her free arm was wrapped around her midsection. He let go of her arm and she let it fall. Sasha was in a rage, which didn't surprise Jory; Sasha had a reputation for having an attitude. She also hated to lose. Jory turned her back on The Boss and walked through the black curtain, finally wiping away the blood from her nose with the back of her hand.

Backstage, people were ready to tell her once again that it had been a great match. There were hugs and tokens of congratulations and gratitude for what she had been doing. She smiled and nodded and took everything with a thank you. Now that she had built some momentum, she was wanted on the house show circuit moving forward, something she was excited to do. She had always heard house shows were more intimate experiences, that it was a smaller venue with the fans, and that the Superstars could get away with a little bit more. This week was her first time doing a show, and she was excited to see what it was all about.

She walked through the curtain, into the backstage area, not at all surprised to find Nia waiting for her. "That looked like a hard shot with the knees," Nia observed.

"It was. My hips are already starting to bruise." She pulled down the band of her trunks a little. Nia winced at the darkened skin. "It's gonna be black and blue, but this is wrestling." Jory shrugged. Earlier in the night, Nia had crushed another local talent, pinning her in fifteen seconds. "What are you up to tonight?"

"Heading off to the next town. I got media day in the morning. Who are you riding with?"

"I rode here with Renee. I'm kind of glad Dean's on _SmackDown_ now. If he didn't hate me before, he definitely would now with all this gossip back here."

"Have you seen him tonight?"

"Seth? No. I kind of asked him to stay away from me back here. I don't want to cause any more trouble for him with Stephanie and Hunter since he insists on hanging in there with their bullshit." She shook her head. "I can't believe for a second that he would buy that she had no idea Hunter was going to turn on him like that. Those two don't do anything without the other one knowing."

"Yeah, I don't buy that, either. But Seth's supposed to be The Architect. Maybe he has a plan."

"I want to believe that, but out gaming The Game is kind of a tough thing to do." Nia nodded.

"What is your plan tonight?"

"I am on the house show circuit for the first time ever this week," Jory disclosed. Nia clapped her hands together.

"Awesome. So I'll be seeing you in Dayton tomorrow."

"Yep yep. I'm looking forward to it. I've never done a house show tour before."

"Ever?"

"Ever. When I started, Hunter told me big names don't work the little shows. Which didn't help me with anyone."

"I can imagine." Nia knew there were still a few girls backstage who thought Jory was a snob. But she enjoyed Jory's company. "Who are you riding with?"

"Renee. She's going to drop me off in Dayton before she flies back out to Vegas."

"Sounds like a plan."

* * *

 _Super sorry to do this, but plans have changed._

Stopping in place, Jory pulled her luggage close to her and read her phone screen with narrowed eyes. _What do you mean?_

 _I'm super sorry about this, girly, but Stephanie and Hunter caught up with me after your match and told me Vince wants me to fly out to Stamford with him to do some stuff for the Network, and since I can't say no..._

"Fantastic," Jory murmured. _Oh, okay. I'll text Nia and see if I can ride with her._ She sent the text and was surprised at how fast Renee responded.

 _I'm super, super sorry. I didn't want to leave you stranded, so I got you someone else to ride with._

Before Jory could ask any questions, a car pulled up in front of her, the horn honking repeatedly. She looked up, startled, to see a beaming Seth Rollins in the driver's seat, his arm hanging out of the driver's side window. Parkway Drive blared from the speakers. _Of course_ , she thought to herself.

"Get in, loser. We got towns to make!"


	13. On the Road

**Chapter 12:**

 **On the Road**

* * *

Jory couldn't help but laugh as she slid her cell phone into her Killstar purse. The timing, Seth's paraphrased _Mean Girls_ greeting...all of it had been almost _too_ perfect and unexpected, but not unwelcome. She noted that he looked surprisingly rested and relaxed, his wet black hair pulled back into a low bun at the nape of his neck. He wore glasses, something that she hadn't expected. As she approached, he got out of the SUV and made his way to the back to open the hatchback. He looked at her, noting she looked sore and exhausted. He smirked at her oversized hoodie. _That thing is so big the two of us could fit in there,_ he thought to himself.

"So...I guess you are the new travel buddy Renee set me up with," she greeted, taking her place beside him. _I shouldn't be surprised_ , she thought.

"The one and only," he confirmed with a grin. "I told her it wasn't a problem since I owe you for the hotel anyway."

"No, you don't, but thank you. My only other option was Nia, and I'm pretty sure she's halfway to Dayton by now," she answered, placing her bag with his in the back of the SUV. Jory took a step back so Seth could close up the car. "How did you want to do this? Do you want me to drive?"

"Nah, it's all good. Thanks, though. It's only a two-hour drive. I just wanted the company."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive."

"Did you want to go halfers on gas...?" she started.

"Nope. Your money is no good on this trip. I just want your company." They separated to their side of the vehicle. They shot each other a look. "Is the music okay?" he asked. She nodded before she opened the door and got into the vehicle. Parkway Drive had turned to Ghost. "If it isn't, I can always put on something else," he told her, getting into the driver's seat.

"It's fine. I promise." He grinned.

"Great." They buckled their seat-belts, and Seth put the car into drive. Turning a corner, they ended up behind a silver SUV, waiting to get waved through the barricade. Seth honked the horn at them. "New Day," he told her. Her mouth opened in a silent "Ah". "Woods has been asking about you. I guess he's been getting a few requests about having you on Up Up Down Down."

"I'm not going to lie, that would be pretty cool," she confessed. New Day was waved through, but Seth and Jory had to stop while security dispersed another group of fans. People approached the car, trying to get autographs and selfies before Seth and Jory left their town. They tried to oblige as best they could, but it wasn't long before they were sent through. Jory felt dizzy from the kind words and the flash of phone cameras.

Pulling onto the road, he shot her a look. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, sure. Fine. I just...I guess I'm still a little surprised people are being nice to me," she confessed. "I'm not used to being liked."

"People are starting to come around. Even in the back. In time, they'll see what I see," he blurted. She looked at him. _Stupid, stupid. Nice going, Rollins,_ he thought to himself. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Jory looking down at her hands.

 _What's that supposed to mean?_ Jory thought to herself. "I don't know about that."

"I do. I see it, and I hear about it. All you needed was a shot in the arm," he told her.

"Yeah, about that..." She took a deep breath. "I heard from Nia that you were the one who talked to Mick about getting me onto the card."

"What?"

"Nia said she overheard you talking Mick into giving me the match with Charlotte last week." Seth shot her a nervous look. He couldn't tell by her tone or expression if she was angry with him for interfering in her career. His hand went to the back of his neck as if he could rub the discomfort off his skin. He sighed a raspy sound.

"Jordana, I just want to be clear here...I didn't talk Mick into doing anything," he told her. "At the end of the day, Mick Foley is his own man."

"Seth..."

"I did talk to him about you not getting a fair shot. I'll admit that. I'm sorry if I stepped over any lines or interfered in any way, but somebody had to say something. And I thought it was the least that I could do since you've been looking out for me so much." He shook his head. "I know I should have told you upfront about what I did, but you were so happy, and I just wanted you to have the moment. I just...all I did was tell him you could use a break. I didn't have to twist his arm or anything - he agreed with me." She was quiet. "It probably helped that Stephanie took the week off."

She was still quiet. He could see her at the edge of his vision, staring straight ahead at the road. _You just keep blowing it with her, Rollins. At some point, you're going to have to cut your losses here._ "I'm sorry if I did anything wrong. I just...I didn't see any reason for you to keep sitting on the sidelines. You're really good at what you do."

"Thank you." Her voice was quiet. "You didn't have to do that, though."

"This business is about strength in numbers, Jordana. It's how Dean, Rome and I managed to get through things in the beginning. It's hard for people to ignore you or shove you around when you have the backup."

"Do you ever miss those days with the guys?" she asked. He nodded.

"More often now, yeah. But I can't really undo the things I've done. I just have to learn how to live with it," he said with a sad smile.

"I hear that." They fell silent. The double shot of Ghost turned to Hit the Lights. "Wow. I haven't listened to these guys in forever," she confessed. He shot her a look.

"You know these guys?" He was genuinely surprised.

"Yeah. I had a period of time where I was so into these guys. I don't think I've heard anything since _Invicta._ "

"You've only missed an album and an EP. That's easy enough to make up. You should totally check out _Summer Bones_. That was their last album." He was almost giddy. "Man, I wish more people heard of these guys. They're so fucking awesome."

"Is this off _Summer Bones_ or the EP?"

" _Summer Bones_."

"I like this one."

"It's one of my favorites," he confessed. He looked over at her. "What do you listen to?"

"A bit of everything. I'm kind of on a Killswitch kick again. I heard _The End of Heartache_ on Octane a few weeks ago, and it made me want to go back into their stuff."

"That song is a fucking _anthem_ ," he said with a grin. "I used to use it for my music way back in the day."

"That's awesome," she commented with a smile. "I did a really, really small stint on the indies before I got signed. I used _Her Portrait in Black_."

"Atreyu. Very nice. That was for one of those vampire movies, right? The one with the babe..."

" _Underworld._ Yeah, it was for the second one," she told him.

They fell quiet again. Up ahead, Seth spotted a gas station that was still open. He knew it was going to be his last chance to fuel up and get some snacks and coffee before they left the city and hit the highway. "I'm just going to make a stop," he announced. She nodded, looking out the passenger's side window at the empty road and the trees that flew by. He turned the SUV into the parking lot and killed the ignition. "What's your go-to on the road?"

"Coffee and peanut butter M&Ms," she answered.

"How do you take your coffee?" he asked. She reached for her purse, but he put a hand out. "I got this."

"Seth..."

"No arguments. How do you take your coffee?"

"Just with creamer."

"Cool. I'll be right back." He got out of the car, making a beeline into the store. Jory looked out the window at the solitary streetlight at the edge of the parking lot. _I wish I could read him. He's cool with Steph and Hunter, but he's cool with me...what is he doing?_ Jory wondered. Her phone vibrated in her purse and she reached for it. Her eyes narrowed when she saw it was Renee.

 _Hey, girly. How's the road trip going?_

 _Of all people, Renee. Really?_

 _It's not like that. We ran into each other and I mentioned I had to find you a ride. He said he owed you, so he didn't have a problem doing it. What did he owe you for?_ Jory rolled her eyes. After a moment's thought, she decided she wasn't going to answer her messages for the rest of the night; instead, she slid the phone back inside her purse and waited for Seth to get back into the car. _What is Renee even doing with all of this? Ugh. Between her and Nia..._

She was yanked out of her thoughts when the door opened and Seth handed her a cup of coffee. "Just creamer."

"Thanks." He reached over and put the bag on the middle console and his coffee in the cup holder before he got into his seat. He shut the door and buckled his seat-belt. She sipped her coffee. _Perfect amount of creamer. Ugh. He got lucky._

"We should have everything we need now," he told her with a smile, turning the key in the ignition. Draping his arm over her seat, he looked behind him as he backed out before pulling forward. "It's off to Dayton."

"Thanks for the coffee. And the M&M's," she told him quietly.

"No worries. Everyone has a go-to on the road." The song changed, and he saw Jory's face light up at the guitar riff. She didn't even have to make the request; he turned up the stereo as they drove onto the main road. When the rest of the instruments kicked in, the two of them began swinging their hair, Seth being the more cautious of the two because of his position as the driver. His fist banged against the wheel in time to the drums.

" _Expect the worst of everyone I meet...count the clock, cause I can't fucking sleep!"_

They shouted the lyrics at the top of their lungs, swinging their hair. Seth followed the road signs to the interstate, beaming at Jory's headbanging in the passenger's seat. She stopped at the first chorus to take a sip of her coffee, laughing. "Sorry. This song is my workout jam. I just love it."

"Don't even worry about it; it's on my workout playlist, too," he confessed, reaching out to turn down the stereo. "It goes hard." They fell quiet. "I'm sorry Renee had to bail on things. I know I wasn't really the plan tonight."

"It's fine. This is a hell of a lot more fun," she confessed. _But boy oh boy am I going to get grilled like a burger about this_ , she thought to herself. _No way is Renee going to remain silent about me riding with him. Her and Nia are going to be the worst._ "You listen to better music," she told him with a smile.

"I'll agree with that. I've driven with her a time or two. I'm a better driver, too."

"I've got no comment about that," she said, biting her lower lip. "I'm not looking to get in trouble."

"Whatever is said in this car, stays in this car..." He trailed off. She sighed, shaking her head.

"You are a better driver."

"Yes!" The two of them shared a laugh. Once again, the two of them fell quiet. Jory rolled her window down a little to let the fresh air in. He looked over at her. _I think the last two weeks have been the most I've ever seen her smile_ , he thought to himself. _She should do it more often; she's got a knockout smile._ "Thanks for riding with me, Jordana. I think we should do this again sometime."

"I think so, too. At least for the music," she said with a laugh. A Day to Remember went into Paramore's _Still Into You_ , and she found herself laughing. "Really?"

"It's catchy. I dig it."

"Not judging."

"Are you sure? You sound awfully judgy over there." She laughed, taking a sip of her coffee.

"I'm not. It's just...unexpected." _Not entirely unwelcome_ , she thought to herself. She looked out the window and smiled. They would be in Dayton in about forty minutes.

* * *

"Where are you staying?"

"Courtyard by Marriott North..." she said, trailing off to look at her travel itinerary. Seth laughed.

"I'm staying at the one by the university. Go figure. How many are there in this city?" he asked.

"A few. I've gotta look up the location. I got confused, too, when I booked the room."

"What's your plan tomorrow?" he asked.

"Not too sure. Probably find a rental car place or hit up Nia for a ride. Find a gym."

"If you want, I could always come grab you in the morning. I got a great little gym here I love to go to. I think you might dig it, too."

"I'll buy breakfast and coffee," she offered.

"Sounds like a deal. Then we'll hit the arena. If you want to ride with Nia tomorrow night, let me know. But you're still welcome to be my travel partner on this loop."

"Thanks, Seth."

He found the hotel and pulled into the parking lot. "I'll help you get your bag," he offered, getting out of the car before he could be rejected. With a shake of her head, she got out of the car and followed him. He already had the hatchback open and her little Ouija bag on the ground. "Have a good night. I'll see you in the morning, Jordana."

Seth watched her body language change and he wondered if he had done something wrong. "Seth, I've kind of got a confession to make."

"What's that?" he asked. She sighed.

"Nobody calls me Jordana outside of work. Everyone usually calls me Jory."

"Oh. Okay. Cool. Thanks for letting me in on that. Have a good night, Jory. I'll see you tomorrow."

"You, too, Seth. Thanks for everything." She grabbed her bag and with a smile, she turned and walked towards the lobby doors. Seth watched until she went inside before he went back inside the SUV to find his own hotel.


	14. Late Night Confessions

**Chapter 13:**

 **Late Night Confessions**

* * *

 _"One. Two. Three."_

The bell rang, and for the third week in a row, the techno music Jory still hated blared through the arena speakers. She rolled out of the ring quickly, tripping over her own feet and falling on her butt at the foot of the ramp. In the ring, Nia Jax was on her knees, her hands rested on the top of her thighs. She looked over at Jory, shaking her head, her lips curved into an amused smirk. It took everything Nia had not to openly laugh at the expression on Jory's face; the shock was priceless. The win had caught both of them by surprise, and now Jory was on her way to a nice little winning streak, even if they were fluke wins. Three victories, including one over the current Women's Champion, meant that people were going to have to take notice after ignoring her for so long.

Stephanie and Mick had once again argued about Jory's place on the roster, about her increasing profile in the Women's division, and once again, Mick had won. Every week, with every win, Jory sensed the tide of hostility was turning away from her. Little by little, she found herself earning respect from both her colleagues and the fans. Her Twitter mentions weren't as hostile as they used to be. Mick was constantly bringing up that she was an almost constant trending topic on Twitter for the past three weeks. It was such a strange feeling; she'd never been liked before in her WWE career, but it wasn't an unwelcome thing. She had to admit that it was far better this way than coming in as The Chosen One and making enemies out of the gate.

Jory scrambled to her feet as referee Chad Patton ran over to her, stopping at her side and taking her wrist in his hand to raise her arm high. Nia got up and moved to the ropes, shaking her head. "Sorry," Jory said with a shrug. Nia laughed.

"I love you anyway," she replied, and Jory couldn't help but laugh. The referee dropped her arm and Jory walked up the ramp in disbelief. Charlotte and Sasha had been tough opponents, but Nia had forced her to think outside the box. It took the first time getting knocked over for Jory to realize that she had to rethink her strategy; Nia was an absolute force, her brute strength leagues above the other women on the roster. Jory still wasn't sure how she had won the match, but she would take the win.

Backstage she slapped hands with Michael Hayes and exchanged pleasantries with Gerald Brisco and Brian James. Vince was sitting in his corner, barking orders at Michael Cole through the headset. He didn't acknowledge Jory's presence, and she didn't stick around to wait for him to notice her. Rushing through the black curtain, she rushed down the three steps that separated Gorilla from backstage. Renee was waiting for her at the bottom of the steps, dressed in a black dress with a denim cropped jacket adorned with pink and orange flowers. Her blonde hair was styled in loose waves around her face.

"Great job out there, girly," Renee greeted, falling into step beside Jory, who was working on unwrapping the tape around her wrists. "I'm super sorry about leaving you hanging last week. I really wasn't expecting to have to fly out to Stamford..."

"It's fine. It's cool. I got to where I needed to be. No harm, no foul," Jory assured her with a dismissive shrug.

"How did it go with Seth?" she asked. "Since you haven't been returning my messages."

"It went fine. I didn't answer because there was nothing to tell. We drank our body weight in coffee and he wouldn't let me drive." Jory shrugged. "He's definitely not the worst travel partner I've ever had - he made my life pretty easy. Plus he's a better driver than you are." Renee stopped in her tracks, her right hand moving to her chest. Jory turned, smirking at the look of offense Renee was shooting at her.

"Excuse me? I'm not a bad driver!"

"I spit nothing but facts." Renee rushed to get back into step with her.

"So...what is your plan for tonight?"

"Not too sure yet. Probably just driving to the next town and relaxing at the hotel. I'm still getting adjusted to this house circuit thing. I've been out of the game too long," she added with a laugh. Renee nodded. "I'm going to need all the rest I can get. I have a sneaking suspicion I've got Nia on this loop, and she's going to be itching to get her win back after tonight." Jory's tone was so sheepish that Renee had to laugh.

"You're probably right about that." Renee crossed her arms over her chest. They fell quiet. "I think Seth likes you."

"Oh my God, Renee!" Jory wheeled on her. "There's nothing going on, Jesus Christ! Can you not announce it out in the open?"

"Jeez. A little touchy, aren't we?"

"No, Renee. The walls have ears, and I don't know if you've noticed, but The Architect is walking a tightrope at the moment."

"Right."

"Hey - wait up!"

They turned to see Nia making her way towards them. Jory bit her lower lip. Nia had to laugh. "Don't you even worry about tonight. You got lucky, but I'll get you the next time, girlfriend."

"That's what I'm counting on," Jory said with a dramatic gulp. The trio laughed.

"How in the hell did you learn how to do that pin combo?" Nia asked. She looked at Renee. "This girl is faster than you think. I blinked and she got me."

"I've been working on some new stuff in my spare time," Jory confessed. "You know, always trying to improve."

"I heard you have a Women's title match against whoever wins the Hell in a Cell match this weekend," Nia said, giving her a nudge. Jory nodded.

"Yeah. I guess it helps I've pinned them both in the past few weeks."

"That's amazing, Jory. I'm so happy for you." Nia wrapped an arm around Jory's shoulders and gave her a half-hug. Jory sighed.

"I wouldn't get too excited. There's no way Stephanie will ever let me be Women's Champion. There's going to be some kind of bait and switch or something," Jory said with a sigh. "I'm waiting for the shoe to drop. Mick made the match, but she'll make sure it either doesn't happen or I don't win it."

"Who knows? Maybe she's bored with you now. I mean, she's got other things to worry about." Jory snorted. Nia nodded. "Right. I know - she's petty as hell. Forget I ever threw that into the universe." Jory nodded. The trio stopped by catering to get bottles of water.

"Try not to worry too much, Jory. The match is still a week away. Who knows? She might not even make it here. She might have things to do at the office."

"You're right," Jory said with a sigh. "Who knows what will happen in the next week or so? No sense in getting worked up over it now."

Unscrewing the cap on her water bottle and taking a sip, Jory quietly followed Renee and Nia to the interview area to watch the rest of the match unfold. In six days, Seth was going to get another shot at the Universal title inside Hell in a Cell against Universal Champion Kevin Owens. Seth and Jory both knew that he had his work cut out for him, that Kevin's best friend Chris Jericho was waiting in the wings to throw a monkey wrench into Seth's plans. It didn't help that Seth was still distracted with trying to figure out the truth behind Hunter's attack. Jory thought he was wasting his time, that it should have been obvious, but she knew that he had his reasons to do what he was doing.

* * *

 _"Ashes, ashes, we all fall down. Half of you's still underground..."_

Jory lay on her bed with her earbuds in and her Spotify playlist up on her phone. It had been a long drive, and she was thankful to be alone in her hotel room, on her comfortable bed, in her favorite red plaid sleep shorts and a black sports bra. _The second week of the house show circuit, Jory. God, this is all so crazy. Only a month and a half ago, people wanted you fired. Now everyone thinks you're killing it. This is all so crazy._ Jory sighed; everything felt artificial, but it was a relief that she wasn't walking into enemy territory every week.

She was startled by her phone going off. Checking her text messages, she smiled. Seth.

 _Remind me to never take hotel suggestions from Foley. His cheapness is not exaggerated._

Jory had to laugh. _I'm at Days Inn. Room three-twenty if you need to escape the roaches._

 _You joke, but it's far worse than that._

 _Pics or it didn't happen._ Jory was kidding, but a few moments later, her phone was flooded with pictures that made her shudder. _OMG._

 _I know, right? Last time I get Mick's recommendation on anything outside of wrestling. He said he's a frequent guest here. I think he might have been high when he suggested this because I'm just not seeing it._ Jory clapped a hand over her mouth, horrified by the photographs. _Like, I don't even want to sit down anywhere._

 _I'm not laughing._

 _Thanks, Jory. I'm glad my current predicament entertains you so much._

Jory rolled her eyes. _The offer is open. Get a refund from the desk and come here._

 _That sounds like a plan. I'll see you in about a half hour._

* * *

 _Hey. So, I spoke to the front desk here, and they've got rooms. I don't know what your plan is, but I made a tentative reservation for you if you're interested in another hotel for the night._

A slow smile split Seth's face as his eyes scanned the message. He was sitting in the driver's seat of his rental car, trying to cool down after spending a good fifteen minutes fighting with a bored front desk agent. In the end, he'd managed to get the preauthorization on his credit card dropped, and he was able to leave. On his way out of the hotel, he spotted Gallows and Anderson. The look they gave each other spoke volumes about the state of the place. Seth wondered if they had gotten a recommendation from Mick, too, or if they had found this little slice of hell on their own, but Gallows and Anderson had no time to talk - they were going to find the bar.

 _Thanks. You didn't have to do that._

 _The guy at the desk said he can cancel at any time and he won't hold it against me, so it's up to you. I figured just in case a flash jazz festival hits town._

Seth threw his head back and laughed. _Good point. I'm just leaving. My skin is crawling!_

 _Mine is, too, and I only saw the pictures._

Seth dropped the phone on the passenger's seat. He had a stop to make before heading to the hotel, and he had to get moving before everything closed. He turned up the music on the stereo and left the hotel, happy to put as much distance between himself and the building as he could. Days Inn was across town, but the roads were empty, so with the stop he made, the trip took a grand total of twenty minutes.

The room Jory had put on hold for him was a major upgrade. Seth put his bag down and went to have a shower to clean himself up. He felt dirty coming out of that room, and he hadn't spent more than twenty minutes inside of it. He let out a sigh and stretched as the hot water hit him. Seth had done his time on the independent circuit, and it meant that he had slept in some pretty sketchy places to save a dollar or two. But off the top of his head, he couldn't think of a worse hotel than the one he'd been in. The water was a little hotter than he could stand it, but he felt like he needed to burn at least the first two layers of skin off to thoroughly wash the room off. He was in room three-eighteen, which meant Jory was his next door neighbor. He wondered if she had requested it, or if it was just a coincidence.

He couldn't help but think about Jory, who always seemed to be sticking her neck out for him in some way or another, and she never asked for anything in return. At first, when she'd offered him her spare bed, he'd been suspicious - they didn't know each other, their time in The Authority was a cloud hanging over the two of them - but his suspicions had given way to surprise when she refused to take his money. Everything she did for him seemed to come from a genuine place of caring, something Seth wasn't used to seeing in this business. It was a business where you had to give, and you had to take. Despite her fractured standing with everyone, she had still maintained her humanity, still carried this sweetness with her. It was inspiring.

By the time he got out of the shower, the bathroom was thick with fog. He changed into a pair of grey checkered pajama pants and a Black and Brave T-shirt. He grabbed the bag from the fridge and his key-card before he walked out into the hall. Since he was going next door, he didn't see any reason to wear shoes.

Standing in front of her door, he took a moment to shake the night off and plaster a smile on his face. He knocked. _Why am I feeling nervous?_ he wondered.

The door opened. Jory had thrown on a white tank top so she wasn't answering the door in her bra. She smiled. "Hey."

Seth held up the bag. "Mocha almond ice cream. Wanted to say congrats on the win tonight."

"My hero. It totally slipped my mind to grab a pint on the road." She stepped to the side, allowing him access to her room. "I see you've burned your fingerprints."

"And then some," Seth said with a laugh. "Gallows and Anderson are over there. I think they're planning on toughing it out."

"They seem like the type," Jory said with a laugh. She went to the drawer in the kitchenette area and grabbed two spoons. "A few beers and everything looks good."

"I think that was the game plan," Seth laughed. He sat down on the left side of her bed, peeking at her laptop. "What are you watching now?"

" _Happy Gilmore._ Judge me all you want, but it makes me laugh."

"Are you kidding? That movie is great." She sat down beside him on the bed and handed him a spoon. "Shooter McGavin is the best."

"You're not going to hear an argument from me. I think he's the best part of this movie." She opened the pint of ice cream and put the lid and protective cover on the nightstand. Seth studied her; she seemed relaxed, but he could see the tension in her eyes.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing. Everything's good."

"Don't lie, Jory. I can tell. What's up?"

She sighed. "It's the women's title match I have next week. I know Stephanie's going to do something. Renee and Nia are telling me not to worry about it, but Stephanie doesn't think I'm 'Best for Business', so I know she'll have some kind of trick up her sleeve."

"Can't blame you for thinking that."

"Mick's going to end up out of a job, and it's going to be because of me, it feels like," she lamented, taking a bite of ice cream. "He keeps talking about these trending topics, and how bright my future was, and...God, it all sounds like the same shit Hunter told me when I started."

"How did Hunter recruit you?" Seth asked. "You kind of came out of nowhere?"

"Yeah, I did." She sighed, readjusting so she could rest against the headboard. She shut the laptop. "Hunter happened to be in Orlando the weekend I did my tryout. I don't know what he saw, but he singled me out. I've loved this my whole life, and I should have known better with his history, but I was so starstruck. I couldn't believe that out of everyone there, Hunter had noticed me, that he wanted to talk to me after the tryout.

"I wanted to go to NXT. But he said I wasn't made for NXT. I wasn't made for house shows. I was a big star. But I had some sacrifices to make. 'It's just the nature of the business', he'd told me." Jory took another bite of ice cream. "At first, it was small things. Like, what my music should sound like."

"He picked your music out?"

"He picked out everything. For the record, I've always hated that music," she said with a sigh. "It wasn't long until the sacrifices got...uh, _bigger_."

"How?"

"It started with my hair. It was shoulder-length when I got my tryout, so he wanted me to get extensions. He told me it was better for TV, that the movement just looks better. He also wanted me to dye my hair blonde. I tried to fight him on that, but he countered with telling me about another prospect he was looking at down in developmental, so I just did what he wanted."

"Wow." Seth honestly hadn't thought about what it must have been like in The Authority for her. She continued before he could say more.

"Then, and I'll never forget this, he came to me while I was training at the Performance Center. He came with Stephanie. They pulled me into this room, and they had these brochures for these plastic surgeons."

"Plastic surgeons?" Seth was incredulous.

"Yeah. They wanted me to...ahem, _enhance my assets_. I was a B cup at the time. He wanted at least two more cups. There was a whole presentation on it. I'd never had any kind of surgery before, but they told me it was common, that all the girls had them. Stephanie mentioned she had them. I didn't really see much of a way out there with the way they were talking, so I used Stephanie's surgeon and got them done. I should mention that it was excruciating, and I don't recommend it. I don't really want them, but I don't want to go under the knife again, so I'm kind of stuck with them."

"Jesus Christ, Jory."

"I know. And at first, I thought it was great. Sure, I was compromising everything about myself to make them happy, but I was successful, so that had to count for something, right? It wasn't so bad at first, either - but then Stephanie started having problems with Daniel Bryan, and Brie got involved.

"I didn't want to get involved with that, but Stephanie got desperate. Stephanie wanted me to make a pass at Bryan, but I refused. They threatened me, but I still refused. Business is one thing, but I wasn't about to break up a marriage. She put me in some matches against Brie, and at that point, I kind of wasn't into any of it. I wanted to be Women's Champion. I didn't want to be getting dragged into Stephanie's drama.

"I was supposed to stop Brie from making it to _SummerSlam_. I didn't do that. I kind of didn't want to, to be honest. Stephanie had done so much to Brie, I kind of thought it was Brie's right. I didn't know Stephanie was talking to Nikki at the time. As much as I want to say that I didn't see it coming, I kind of did when I saw that Nikki was aligned with them. I knew right away that they were going to cast me out at some point."

"Wow." Her story was a lot to process.

"What about you? How'd Hunter sink his claws into you?"

"We were riding high, but there were some problems," Seth said with a shrug. "Dean was disappearing all the time. I could never get in touch with him. He never had any explanation about where he was or what he was doing. I honestly assumed he was talking to Hunter, or at the very least getting ready to branch out on his own. Roman and I talked about it all the time; Roman was kind of Dean's handler, but after a while, he didn't even have any answers, either.

"Hunter came and talked to me after _Payback_. I don't remember what Dean and Roman were doing. But he promised to make me World Champion. He promised me pretty much everything he promised you. I didn't have to do as much, obviously," Seth pointed out with a sigh, digging into the ice cream. Their spoons clinked together and they offered tight smirks at each other. "Hunter made it sound like he had talked to Dean and Roman, and that one of them was going to accept really quick. So I jumped at it. In hindsight, I'm not proud of it, but I figured at the time if it wasn't me, it was probably going to be Dean. Roman's a pretty stand up guy, but Dean's a wild-card. He always has been."

"You ever talk to the guys about that?"

"Nah. It won't do any good. Especially with Dean. That guy can hold a fucking grudge, let me tell you." He took another bite of ice cream. He had to admit that it felt good to get everything off his chest. Seth wondered how long Jory had been sitting on her story. "Can I ask about the padlock on your suitcase?"

"You noticed that, huh?" He nodded. She sighed. "After The Authority chapter was over, and all the perks were gone, I was kind of left in scorched Earth. I went to apologize to the girls, but - big surprise - they weren't having it. I had to find places to change, and a lot of the time, my bag was getting tampered with. I've fished it out of dumpsters, cut it down when they hung it up. I actually lost a suitcase and a bunch of stuff in the Gulf of Mexico. Nobody is willing to fess up to that one, and I had to replace my phone, my computer, and a whole bunch of other stuff.

"So I started putting a padlock on it. I started making it look like the bag had already been messed with so people would leave it alone."

"Smart. Does it work?"

"Kind of. Every now and then someone will throw it in the shower area. I'm on my fourth phone in a year and a half."

"Wow."

"And I can't really go to anyone about it. Management is kind of the enemy here, so I know they won't do anything." She sighed. "I asked for my release."

"What? When?"

"Last year. I asked for them to let me go. They won't do it. Basically, they put me in a position where I can come out and do nothing and get paid, or I can walk out and they can freeze my contract and keep me from going anywhere and from getting paid. So I've been kind of here to stick it to them. But it's exhausting."

Seth was surprised to realize that he hated the idea of her leaving the company. "You can't leave."

"I know I can't. Everyone keeps mentioning that I've been picking up new moves, but I've been trying to keep myself sharp. When my contract comes up, I'm probably not going to re-sign. I've been hoping that I'm not tarnished enough for Ring of Honor or New Japan to pick me up, but the past few weeks have been helping."

"You can't leave." Seth couldn't stop repeating it.

"With things the way they are...I really don't know. If you would have asked me a month and a half ago, I probably would have told you for sure. But Mick is taking a lot more chances on me, and they seem to be paying off. I just don't know."

* * *

Seth awoke at just after eight in his own hotel room, taking a moment to just lie in bed and think about a few hours before.

He'd snuck out of Jory's hotel room when she fell asleep with her head against his chest. She hadn't meant to; they had been talking, and then she had cried...he'd held onto her, to comfort her. Eventually, her crying stopped, and he realized that she had drifted off. He could still feel her head against his chest.

Every part of him had wanted to stay. It had been a long while since he'd shared a bed with anyone, but he didn't want to make things weird. It had taken a lot of maneuvering and a lot of careful movements, but he had managed to tuck her into her bed and leave her in a comfortable sleeping position. While sleep had come easy for her, for Seth, it hadn't come before four in the morning.

 _We're in trouble, man._ Seth groaned, rubbing his face. _You're into her, and you know it._


	15. Hell In A Cell

**Chapter 14:**

 **Hell In A Cell**

* * *

 _What does Kevin Owens have that I don't?_

The thought repeated over and over inside of Seth's head like a broken record as he walked down the hallway towards his hotel room, dragging his suitcase behind him. His shoulders were slumped in defeat. He moved slowly, the exhaustion and defeat radiating from him like a lukewarm halo. Disappointed and angry, Seth was glad to be back at the hotel, away from the stares of his colleagues and the fans.

With every month that passed, it felt like his window of opportunity was closing. He hated to admit it, but Kevin Owens was far more resourceful than Seth had given him credit for. For such an obnoxious individual, Kevin had friends in high places, it seemed like. Hunter was obviously backing him, and Seth had his suspicions that Stephanie was backing him, too. When his WWE career started in NXT, Kevin had quickly cast aside his best friend Sami Zayn. On the main roster, he'd found a brand-new best friend in Chris Jericho.

Seth knew at some point, Chris was probably going to find his way inside of the Cell, and when he had, Seth still hadn't been prepared for it. Thanks to Chris' interference, Kevin had retained the Universal title, and Seth was forced to watch yet another opportunity slip through his fingers. He knew it was only going to be a matter of time before he was removed completely from the championship picture; he had no idea how he was going to stay in the game.

Sliding the key-card into the lock, Seth walked into the room, dropping his bag beside the desk and the key-card on the surface. _What's so special about Kevin Owens anyway? I've done everything they asked. I look the part. I gave, and I gave, and I gave, and I gave until my body gave out on me._ The more Seth thought about his current situation, the angrier he felt at the system. After the match was over, he stayed on the canvas for a few moments, staring up at the lights. He knew that he had to regroup somehow. He had to figure out how to keep the championship window open for as long as possible. But it was hard to ignore the feeling that time was about to run out for Seth Rollins.

Seth sat down at the edge of the bed and put his head in his hands. He'd done everything right; he'd come back from a debilitating injury and re-discovered his footing. He'd gained respect and fans. People were finally starting to overlook the fact that he had been the one to break up The Shield. He'd done everything he was supposed to, with the exception of regaining the biggest championship on the roster. He knew it would be hard, but in his absence, the field had gotten even more stacked. After spending over a year having the odds stacked in his favor, he was thrown off to find the odds were now stacked against him.

He was jolted out of his thoughts when his phone buzzed in the pocket of his hoodie. It had the effect of momentarily pulling him out of his pity party. With a sigh, he pulled the phone out of his pocket and unlocked the screen, a slow smile creeping on his face as he scanned the message on the screen.

 _Hey, Seth. Sorry about your night. If you're up for it, I'm downstairs in room 212. I got beer._

Jory. _You just think of everything, don't you? A beer sounds pretty fucking good right about now._

 _Well, do what you gotta do and get your ass down here. I'll be up for a few more hours. When you're here, I'll order nachos from room service. Come down when you're ready._

Seth put his phone down on the bed and fell back against the mattress, taking a few moments to catch his breath. He looked up at the ceiling at nothing in particular. Because of his tenuous ties to Stephanie still, Jory refused to interact with him on the job. He wasn't insulted; he knew the walls had ears, and she was doing it to protect him. She didn't want to draw any more heat from The Authority onto him. So, after they left the arena, they usually caught up, most of the time by text messages. Seth found that he had come to look forward to their chats at the end of the night. It made him wonder why he hadn't made the effort to get to know her before. He wondered why Hunter and Stephanie wanted to keep them apart.

He got off the bed and stretched before putting his cell phone back in his pocket. Sliding his key-card into the pocket of his black jeans, Seth left the room, making a beeline to the elevator. The hallway was empty; he was thankful for that. It was WWE's worst kept secret; the friendship between him and Jordana Moody. If Stephanie knew or had any objection to it, she hadn't said a word to him in all of their conversations about it.

He knocked on the door marked 212. She answered the door with a smile, dressed in red plaid pajama shorts and a long black shirt that fell off her left shoulder. She was already holding an open bottle of beer that she handed to him. He checked the label; it looked like a local IPA. "Nachos are on the way," she told him. Jory stood to the side so he could walk into the room. Once he was over the threshold, she shut the door behind him.

"You wanna talk about it?" she asked. He took a big swig of the beer, pleasantly surprised at its smoothness.

"If it's cool, I'd like to forget that tonight happened," Seth confessed. She nodded.

"Fine by me." She grabbed herself a bottle of beer and sat down on her bed.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot." Seth opened his mouth to speak, but there was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it." He went to the door and tipped the young server. Seth shut the door and returned to Jory, holding the giant plate in his hand. "Where do I put this?"

"Just on the nightstand." He put it down and sat down beside her on the bed. "So what's on your mind?"

"Did Hunter ever say anything to you about me?" he asked.

"Like what?"

"Not to hang around, or whatever."

"He said you were trouble, but since I've gotten to know you...you don't seem so bad," she confessed. "It was pretty much a talk about you being bad for my image. He tried pushing Randy and me into getting together, like some kind of corporate royalty gig, but I was like hell no to that."

"He tried hooking you up with Orton?"

"Yeah, but that guy is a total dick. I wouldn't touch him with a thousand foot pole." She shook her head. "I know they talked a lot about how you were the face of the company, and how they had all their stock in you, but it's pretty clear Randy is their idea of what a WWE Superstar should look like." Seth nodded; it was hard to argue that. "Hunter made me go on a blind date with him, and it was one of the worst experiences I've ever had. The guy is an entitled jerk."

"That's one of the nicer things I've heard about him," Seth agreed, taking a swig of beer.

"Did Hunter say anything about me to you?" she asked, sipping her beer.

"Yeah. He said he didn't want me to ruin you." She snickered.

"Sorry. You can't do any more damage than he has." She shook her head and took another sip of beer.

"I get it. I've done some pretty awful things..."

"We all have things we've done we aren't proud of," Jory told him with a shrug. "It's how we learn from it that's important." Seth reached over to grab a chip, dipping it in guacamole.

"Have you talked to Brie or Bryan about things?" he asked. She shook her head.

"I don't think they want to hear it. I don't blame them, but what I've done to them is nothing compared to what Stephanie and Nikki have done. But I guess it's easier to forgive bosses and family over strangers." Jory shrugged. "It is what it is. It's just part of a chapter that I'm really not proud of. And now Brie is gone." She shook her head.

"Bryan's a good guy. If you ever get a chance to talk to him, do it. He'll be pretty forgiving," Seth assured her. "He's not somebody who holds grudges."

"I don't know. I guess I don't know what to say."

"It's natural. I've done some awful things to Bryan, too, but we made our peace after his retirement."

"Yeah, but the two of you go back a long way." She dipped a chip in some salsa and sour cream before taking a bite. "I'm just a nobody."

"I don't think so." She flashed him a tight smile before she took a sip of her beer. "I think you've been proving that you're far from a nobody."

"I don't know." She leaned forward, shaking her head.

"Are you ready for your match tomorrow?" he asked. She nodded.

"As ready as I'm going to be," she confessed. "I still can't help but feel like things aren't going to go as planned."

"You probably aren't wrong, but you've got this. You've been doing so well."

"I've been winning on flukes," she pointed out. "I barely survived, and I've got Charlotte tomorrow."

"You'll do fine. You've beaten her." He sipped his beer. Reaching out, he put a hand on her knee. It was supposed to be a soothing gesture, but Jory and Seth both felt their nerves jump. He removed his hand quickly as if the contact had set his skin on fire. "You've got this. No matter what happens, you've still been killing it. Just remember that."

Jory didn't respond. Instead, she took a big swig of beer.


	16. Screwed Over

**Chapter 15:**

 **Screwed Over**

* * *

The remixed version of Ric Flair's music blared through the arena speakers. WWE _Raw_ Women's Champion Charlotte Flair walked through the black curtain and onto the stage, dressed in her red gear with the matching red and gold robe. The championship was fastened around her wrist, the perfect accessory to her wardrobe. Statuesque and regal, Charlotte had been wrestling for four years and already commanded the same respect as a seasoned veteran. Holding her arms out, she slowly turned, giving everyone in the arena a good look at the intricate robe she wore. She walked to the ring with a confidence that was well beyond her years. At the foot of the ramp, she took off her robe to do her entrance routine. She moved around the ring-post and did her handspring. Once she was inside the ring and back on her feet, she took off her title and handed it off to the referee, pacing back and forth as her music faded.

When the techno music started, Charlotte couldn't help but smirk at the roar of the crowd. Over the past month, Jordana Moody had managed to give her career a little jump-start, a prime example of the great things people can do when they're given an opportunity. But Charlotte was the champion, and she was ready to dash the woman's dreams. There was no way she planned on losing the Women's Championship so quickly after winning it inside Hell in a Cell.

Jory walked onto the stage, in plain black gear trimmed with rhinestones. Her hair was in a high ponytail, braided at the sides. Her makeup was done in pinks and blues. She walked to the ring with a newfound confidence that she had earned in the past month. Getting into the ring, she took her place in the corner across from Charlotte. In the middle of the ring, referee Mike Chioda stood with ring announcer Jojo to his right, dressed in a taupe body-hugging dress that was off-the-shoulder. She put the microphone to her lips as the music stopped.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is scheduled for one fall..."

" _One fall!"_ the crowd roared back.

"...And it is for the WWE _Raw_ Women's Championship. Introducing first, from the Queen City, she is the WWE _Raw_ Women's Champion - Charlotte Flair!"

The crowd jeered and booed Charlotte, who they saw as arrogant and cocky. Across the ring, Jory knew that Charlotte was coming off one of the most matches of her career. She knew that Charlotte had to be feeling the effects.

"And the challenger, from Chicago, Illinois - Jordana Moody!"

" _Style and grace, I'm never gonna be done, lean on in, and welcome to the queendom..."_

The roar of the crowd quickly turned into red-hot hostility.

Jory turned, her shoulders slumping as the music blared and the lights changed. Stephanie emerged from backstage, dressed in a black body-hugging Herve Leger dress and black studded ankle boots, her long brown hair brushed straight around her face. The black eye-shadow she wore looked heavy, her lips glossy and nude. In her perfectly manicured hand, she held a microphone. The music faded quickly and Stephanie put the microphone to her lips as she walked down the ramp.

"Now don't you mind me, Jordana. I'm not here for trouble. I am just here to make sure that the integrity of the Women's Championship is preserved. For the good of this brand," Stephanie added. The heat from the crowd was so heavy that Jory could barely hear what Stephanie was saying. She wasn't at all surprised that Stephanie was going to be at ringside in some capacity, but the confirmation of her suspicions did nothing to staunch the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Jory knew that Stephanie's presence probably meant that things weren't going to end well for her.

Jory watched Stephanie walk around the ring, making her way towards the commentary table. _Preserve the integrity of the Women's title. That's rich, coming from someone who lacks any kind of it,_ Jory thought with a snort. She watched Stephanie take her seat beside Corey Graves. Jory was forced to turn her attention back to Charlotte when the bell rang. But Stephanie was ever present at the front of her mind. It was a war on two fronts.

It was a physical match, with both women pulling out everything they had. Jory didn't expect anything less than her A-game from Charlotte, and she knew that Charlotte expected the same out of her, too. But every time Jory got the upper hand, she was distracted by Stephanie getting out of her seat and taking a step towards the ring. After the third time she did it, Stephanie remained standing, walking around the ring. It was clear to both Jory and the crowd that Stephanie was backing Charlotte, a family friend, in the match.

After getting hit with the Natural Selection, Charlotte went up to the top rope and hit Jory with a moonsault. Charlotte covered her for the count. On two, Jory moved to kick out, but she found she couldn't move her legs.

She realized quickly that Stephanie was holding her legs down.

The referee counted to three and Charlotte retained her title. Stephanie released Jory right away and backed away towards the barricade, her hands raised. Jory wasn't sure if Charlotte had seen or cared about what happened, but she was paying Jory no mind. She stood in the center of the ring, her arms raised, her left hand holding the _Raw_ Women's Championship that was once again out of Jory's reach.

Stephanie was soon in the ring with the reigning champion, holding her arm up. The crowd rained boos. Releasing her hold on Charlotte, Stephanie approached Jory, leaning down and pointing a finger at her. "Never again. Never, ever again," she told Jory angry. Rearing her hand back, she slapped Jory hard. Grabbing the top rope with her hands, Stephanie pushed Jory out of the ring with her feet. Jory hit the ground with a thud and stayed there. Stephanie and Charlotte went backstage as the cameras cut to commercial.

Once it was clear they weren't on TV, Corey Graves got up from his spot, taking off his headset and rounding the desk to approach Jory, who lay on the ground wallowing. Everyone telling her not to worry had been wrong, and she had known it from the jump. It's hard to play the game when the rules are rigged, and tonight was a world-class lesson in it.

Corey leaned down and helped her to her feet. Jory could feel her cheek burning and swelling. "Thank you," she offered.

"Are you okay?"

"Not even close."

"Don't do anything crazy when you get back there," he advised her. She nodded, knowing that she wasn't going to do anything. Acting out wasn't going to do her any good. She thanked Corey once again before she turned to make her way towards the ramp. Fans were reaching out to touch her and shouting at her as she walked past.

"That was fucking bullshit!" a guy in a Patriots jersey yelled.

"You'll get another shot, Jordana! You killed it tonight!" a woman in a Finn Balor shirt told her.

Jory offered them tight nods but kept her head down as she walked up the ramp. She disappeared through the curtain, not at all surprised to find that Stephanie wasn't in the backstage area. _The stupid bitch has probably barricaded herself in her office like a coward_ , Jory thought angrily. She stormed through Gorilla without stopping, which seemed to be fine by everyone in the area; nobody offered her any words of encouragement or high-fives. The way they avoided eye contact with her made Jory think of her last night in The Authority, the way they had acted like she didn't exist. It made her even angrier.

She stormed down the hallway, her fists clenched at her sides. A few feet ahead of her, she saw Mick approaching, dressed in his leopard print blazer and sweatpants. He already had his hands up defensively. She went to walk past him, but he blocked her. "Mick..."

"Jordana, don't do what you're thinking of doing," he pleaded.

"I'm not thinking of doing anything. I am going to go clean up, get changed, and leave."

"I think that sounds like a good idea. You've got the rest of the night off."

"Fantastic." Her tone was so biting that Mick was taken aback.

"Jordana..."

"Don't. This isn't right, Mick."

"You know it, and I know it," he told her.

"Great. So my question is - what are _you_ going to do about it?" Jory didn't wait for him to answer; instead, she walked around him and left him in the hallway.

* * *

Jory looked through the peephole and exhaled.

Opening the door, she found Seth standing there, dressed in a Black & Brave shirt and black jeans, his hair back in a low bun. He wore his glasses. In his hand, he held a shopping bag. His brown eyes stared at her with a warmth and sympathy that made her huff heavily. "Seth, I'm really not in the..."

"I know. That's why I'm here to return the favor tonight." He reached into the bag and pulled out a pint of ice cream. "It's not mocha almond, but it's actually got whiskey in it. I figured we could hit both birds with a stone tonight."

She found herself speechless. With a shake of her head and another exasperated sigh, she moved to the side so Seth could walk into the room. He placed the bag on the desk and the pint of ice cream on the nightstand. Jory shut the door behind him. Turning to her, Seth opened his arms. "Come here."

"Seth..."

"I think you could use one. Come on. Bring it in." With a short laugh, she walked into his arms and he hugged her. She had to admit that it was nice after the night she had. He was warm and firm, and the embrace felt comforting. "It's not over, Jory. We both know that this isn't your last shot, so don't let it get you down."

"It probably is," Jory said. She could smell his cologne, and the way it invaded her senses made her feel heady. "I should have known."

"You did know. You did the best you could."

"It just wasn't good enough."

"Tonight it wasn't," Seth agreed. She was aware of his hand in her hair, stroking. "But it will be eventually. Sometimes it just takes time."

"Somebody needs to take them down a peg. Both of them. Hunter and Stephanie." As hard as it was for her, she untangled herself from Seth.

"If Hunter ever shows up..." Seth sighed. "I think you and I should go after them."

"If I could get my hands on Stephanie..." Jory trailed off and shook her head. "That'll never happen, though. I'll go grab the spoons. Whiskey ice cream sounds great right about now." He watched her walk into the kitchenette area. It bothered him to see her so defeated and upset.

 _"All I want is a place to call my own, to mend the hearts of everyone who feels alone..."_

 _"Whoa!"_ Seth sang. Jory laughed. "That's your ringer now?"

"Notifications." She picked up her phone and unlocked the screen. Her eyes narrowed. "It's Woods." Her tone was surprised.

"Woods? As in Xavier?"

"Yeah. He slid into my DMs, as he likes to say," she replied, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"What does he want?"

"He's asking if I want to do the next Superstar Save Point for his video game channel. I guess his hometown is on the next loop, so he wants to swing by and do an episode." Jory was surprised; she wasn't used to getting any kind of offer to do anything in and out of WWE. She looked up at Seth, who was opening up the ice cream. "Should I do it?"

"Hell yeah. It's a blast. I've done it a whole bunch of times. You ever see it?"

"A couple when he just started, but I'm not on YouTube much."

"Fair enough. You should do it." She nodded, her attention going down to the screen. She sent the message telling him that she would. He looked at her, at the way her hair fell around her face when she bowed her head. He couldn't get over how green her eyes were; they were so bright. "I'm sorry about tonight," he offered. Out of the blue, he reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear. She shot him a surprised look that was quickly replaced by a tight smile.

"It's not your fault."

"No, but I know how bad it feels to come up short. Especially when it's out of your control." She dug her spoon into the ice cream. He did the same.

"You know...even though I have to work out twice as hard in the morning, I kind of enjoy these ice cream nights," she told him with a slight laugh. He flashed her a smile.

"You know something? I do, too."


	17. Up Up, Down Down

**Chapter 16:**

 **Up Up, Down Down**

* * *

Fresh out of the shower and dressed nothing but the most comfortable pair of grey checkered pajama pants, Seth walked into his bedroom with his hair hanging in his face in limp, wet waves. He had draped a white towel over his neck, using the edges to wipe away the water that got into his face. He padded across his bedroom floor, rotating his left shoulder to work out the kinks. On his bed, his cell phone pinged with an alert. He approached, unscrewing the cap of his water bottle and taking a big sip. He sat down on the bed and picked up the phone to see the alert.

"NEW - UP UP DOWN DOWN. SUPERSTAR SAVEPOINT - JORDANA MOODY."

Readjusting on the bed, crossing his legs and leaning against the headboard, Seth tapped on the screen with his thumb to open the app. The thumbnail showed Jory sitting with Xavier, the two of them frozen in laughter.

For the past week, every conversation with Jory had devolved into her confiding to him that she was nervous to be doing the show. Seth was constantly reassuring her that things were going to be fine, that she was going to have fun. If anyone could steady her nerves and make her feel comfortable, it was Woods. But he understood why she was so nervous - nobody outside of her small circle ever invited her to do things. This appearance was kind of a big deal. With a relaxed sigh and a smile, he tapped the screen again to start the video.

The first thing he noticed was that her makeup looked a bit smudged. It had been filmed last week after a house show in Delaware. He hadn't been there; he hadn't been scheduled on the show. Her ponytail was messy and thick and swung every time she moved. He noticed she wore a black hoodie with the Umbrella Corporation logo over the left breast.

"What even happened out there tonight?" Woods asked, laughing.

"Oh, God, I don't even know," she said with a laugh. "I think it got caught on the ramp or something. It's still stuck in there. I don't think it's coming out until they tear everything down." Seth cocked an eyebrow, but he remembered that she mentioned being embarrassed over losing one of her high heels in the stage at the show. She'd had to do her interview in bare feet. As mortified as she was, Jory was thankful that she hadn't fallen. "I lost my shoe but I kept my dignity," she'd told him with a laugh.

The familiar Superstar Savepoint music hit Seth's ears. He turned the volume up a little louder. After the graphics were shown, it was back to the show. Xavier was leaned forward into the camera. "Welcome to Up Up Down Down!" he boomed with a loud clap of his hands. "I'm your host, Austin Creed, and today on Superstar Savepoint, we've got someone really special. You've been asking. She's been making all the right moves, making waves. You asked for her, and she was gracious enough to...uh, _grace us_ , with her presence. Guys...it's Jordana Moody!"

She waved for the camera nervously as the piped in cheers and applause played around her. "Thanks. That's quite an intro," she said with a laugh.

"That's quite a wave. A lot of grace there."

"It's all the grace I have, as you know," she told him, laughing some more.

"So, since this is your first time with us, everyone has a nickname here. What do you want your nickname to be?"

"Oh, man. I drove myself crazy over this, but I think I'm going to go with V-JOLT."

Bells rang and the name-tag showed up at the bottom of the screen underneath her. He looked at her.

"Big _Resident Evil_ fan?" he asked.

"Oh, you have no idea," she told him with a laugh. "True story - but a fan recently found out about it, and she made me a custom Jill Valentine doll from _Nemesis_ \- and the detail on the corset and the skirt...it's unbelievable. I've got it on a shelf above my couch. They even made a custom box for it. Coolest thing I've ever been given by anyone."

"That is insane."

"I know, right? It's incredible. It's on my Instagram. It's unbelievable."

"Is Jill your favorite?"

"Totally. She's the OG. I mean, Claire and Ada are cool, too, but Jill's my girl. I grew up with Jill."

"Today you picked _Resident Evil: Revelations 2."_

"Yes!" Seth was surprised; in all the talks with her, she'd never mentioned being a die-hard video game fan, let alone a huge fan of a survival horror game. It was a nice fact to store in the back of his head. "Am I Claire or Moira?" she asked.

"Claire."

"Sweet." She picked up her controller.

"So, tell me a bit about yourself."

"Oh, jeez. There's not a lot to tell about me. Despite what you see on TV, I'm pretty boring." Seth snorted. "I was born on an army base in Virginia, and we moved around a lot when I was a kid. When my dad retired, we settled in Galena, Illinois, which is a super small town. Like, three thousand people. When I was ten, we ended up moving to Chicago, and I've kind of been there ever since." The game started after the cutscene finished, and she was already halfway down the path. "I hope you can keep up, Creed - I know this game like the back of my hand."

"So, what is it about the _Resident Evil_ games?"

"I grew up on them. My cousin and I used to have sleepovers, and this was the late nineties, so survival horror was the big thing. We'd turn out all of the lights and we'd play. The graphics were so bad, and so was the acting, but we loved it because it still creeped us out." She laughed. "We played all of it - _Silent Hill, Fatal Frame, Dino Crisis._ But _Resident Evil_ has just always held a special place in my heart."

"Have you played seven yet?"

"Ugh. I wish. I get bad motion sickness with first-person shooters. Like, really bad. _Dead Island_ made me throw up. That game was so intense. I think _GoldenEye 64_ is the only first-person I've ever been able to tolerate."

"Such a great game."

"It is. I'm surprised you haven't done a Gamer Gauntlet with it yet. You're slipping, Creed." He laughed.

"We should totally do that. We should get you in on it. What weapon do you like?"

"Slappers only. My dad and I used to get such a kick out of just running up on each other and throwing hands." Seth found himself laughing with the duo on the video. "He always beat me. I'm almost thirty, and I still can't beat him in a game of _GoldenEye_ if my life depended on it. It's pathetic."

"Amazing. So, Jill is your favorite..."

"Yes, and I wish her and Chris would just get together already and make beautiful babies."

"Oh, man, you aren't the only one. I ship it," Woods confessed. Seth couldn't stop laughing, especially when Jory's face lit up at his confession. "You play the _Lost in Nightmares DLC_ for five?"

"Yes! Oh my God! She tackled Wesker out of a freaking window to save Chris. Like, relationship goals or what?" Seth was enjoying the episode; he was learning so much about Jory. It was like Woods was doing a lot of the heavy work for him.

"That reminds me since you're such a fan - I was at ComicCon a few years ago, and there was this incredible Nemesis cosplay. The detail was nuts!"

"Oh, that sounds awesome. I've never been to ComicCon, but I've gone to some local conventions. Before my sister moved to Texas, we used to go to some local ones together. I've done some cosplay, but I'm nowhere near as good as some of the people out there. The effort they put in is just unbelievable."

"What have you done?"

"For cosplay?" Woods nodded. "The last one I went to, I dressed as Claire from _Code Veronica._ I've done _Nemesis_ Jill. I've done Aeris from _Final Fantasy 7_ , and I have a pretty killer Catwoman costume in my closet." Seth's eyes widened at the confession. The thought of her dressed like Catwoman...he had to push the thoughts out of his head and focus on the video. "Spending the entire day in the _Nemesis_ gear, I have to say...You know, she knew she was going to escape the city that day. She knew she was going to be climbing fences and dodging zombies and Lickers...and that's the outfit she went with. So impractical."

"It's iconic, though."

"I can't argue with that."

"What other games do you play?"

"I don't play as many games as I used to because I'm on the road so much more now. Last month I finished _Until Dawn_ \- don't ask how that went," she added quickly with a laugh. "Right now I'm working on _Arkham Knight._ I don't usually do the superhero games, but my sister got me into the _Arkham_ series. They are really, really just well done."

"How are you finding _Arkham Knight_?"

"I liked _Arkham City_ more, but I love games with puzzles and things. Being able to ride in the Bat Mobile was overdue. But I'm stuck on this real jerk of a mission right now, and I'm trying so hard not to look online for a solution, but I'm just having so much trouble. If I look at a walkthrough or anything, too, it's seen as a weakness in my family, so I'd never hear the end of it."

"Gaming is that serious in your family?"

"Oh yeah. It's how my dad started passing the time after he got out of the army. He loves the RPG games. I used to love watching him do boss battles when I was young because he had it down to a science. Notebooks, calculators. You name it."

"That's crazy."

"Everyone says that. I grew up on a steady diet of _Zelda, Final Fantasy_ and _Lunar the Silver Star_."

"That is amazing." He stopped playing and looked at her. "How is it that you and I have never really talked before?"

"I have no idea," she said with a laugh. "I kind of regret that it's taken us so long."

"Me, too."

"Did we just become best friends?" she asked. They shared a laugh.

"Yes. Yes, I think we did." Seth was surprised to feel a pang of jealousy inside of his chest. Even though he knew Xavier was happily married with a young child at home, it stung Seth how easy the two of them seemed to gel. The awkwardness that had been there in her introduction had faded so fast Seth thought he had imagined it.

"We need to get you into one of our Gamer Gauntlets." She laughed.

"Depends on the game. _If you do GoldenEye_ or another _Mortal Kombat_ gauntlet, I'm all in," she told him. "Speaking of which, how was NetherRealm Studios? I saw the video of you guys there, and man, I am still super jealous!"

"Oh, it was so cool. If you ever get a shot to see it..."

"I'd be all over it."

"Are you stuck on _Cloudburst_?" he asked out of the blue. She almost dropped her controller.

"Yes. Oh my God, the _Cloudburst_ mission is such a pain." Seth laughed; a lot of people seemed to have trouble with the mission. He had, too.

"That's a tough one."

"I don't know if I've ever been so irritated with a video game." Her shoulders slumped when Moira died on the screen. She turned to Woods. "Really?"

"Sorry. We all can't be _Resident Evil_ experts like you," he teased. She bumped him with her shoulder and they giggled.

Seth watched the rest of the video, laughing every time Woods died. He noticed that Jory really was good at the game; she hadn't been exaggerating at all. As soon as the video was over, he exited the video and pulled up his text messaging. He sent her a quick message. _Get the 60mm cannon lure and take out the tanks one at a time. You're gonna wanna navigate in battle mode. Patience is going to be the name of the game here, so take out each of the tanks, and stay in the blind spots. Once those are gone, take out the coolants. When the coolants are out and the tank is disabled, be careful - it still has some shit up its sleeve._ He sent the text message.

His phone buzzed. _Somebody saw Up Up Down Down, did they?_

 _I did. I've beaten_ Arkham Knight _, so I thought I'd offer my expertise._

 _I appreciate that. I'm plugging at it now._

 _If I knew you were playing it and stuck, I would have helped out a while ago._

 _I should have mentioned it. Stupid me._

 _Nah._ Seth smiled. _If I ever need Resident Evil help, though, I guess I'm gonna need to recruit you._

 _Probably. What are you up to today?_

 _Just got back from the school. I still have to get you to come and check out what I got._

 _I'll have to make a trip on a weekend out your way._ Seth smiled at the idea.

 _What are you doing today?_

 _Got back from a workout. Now I'm just going to hopefully beat this mission and then I'm meeting my dad for dinner. Still trying to brush off Monday night._ Seth nodded. He'd noticed a change once again in Jory after Stephanie's interference. After riding a high for a month, he was starting to see Jory take a nosedive. He had no idea how to pull her out of it.


	18. Square One?

**Chapter 17:**

 **Square One?**

* * *

Seth pulled his rental sedan into the parking lot of the hotel after _Raw_ in Denver, Colorado. It had been an eventful night for him; he had earned a spot on Team _Raw_ at _Survivor_ _Series_ in a couple weeks. On any other night, Seth would have been over the moon and ecstatic about earning an opportunity to compete on one of the Big Four shows, but it wasn't tonight. After talking to Mick earlier in the night, Seth had other things on his mind. He spent the whole night impatiently waiting for the show to end, so he could get in the car, drive to the next town and check into the hotel. _This_ felt more important than anything going on with him professionally. Killing the ignition - and the Paramore on the radio - Seth exhaled in frustration before reaching over to grab the shopping bag from the passenger's seat.

He was out of the car quickly, rounding to the back to grab his bag. His first order of business was to get himself quickly checked in so he could drop his bag off in the room. Halfway across the parking lot, he was stopped by a guy in business attire with his young son. They had recognized him and wanted a picture. Seth quickly obliged, trying to be as nice as he could while his mind was somewhere else. Inside the hotel, the check-in process had been quick and painless; within five minutes of his arrival, Seth was halfway down the hallway towards the elevator, dragging his black suitcase behind him. His room was on the second floor, at the other end of the hall from Jory. He had arranged it that way. It was something he hadn't mentioned to her, but with the way they had been spending time together, it just made sense to him to be close by. Since he had made the request, it was easy for him to find out what room she was in.

Seth opened the door to his room just enough to throw his bag inside the door. Sliding the paper envelope with the key-cards into the back pocket of his black jeans, he made his way down the empty hallway at a brisk pace, stopping in front of Jory's door. With a deep breath, he knocked three times. "Come on, Jory, open up!" He knocked three more times. "I'm not leaving until you open the door, Jory, so just do us a favor and let me in. I can stand here all night if I have to."

There was silence on both sides of the door for a moment. Then he could hear movement, faint footsteps approaching the door.

Seth was taken aback at the woman who stood before him when the door opened slowly. _Holy shit, she looks like death warmed over._ Jory's hair was wild and disheveled like it hadn't been brushed. Her eyes were red, puffy, and swollen. He could see nothing but exhaustion and despair in her eyes. It was obvious to him that she had spent her entire time inside the hotel room bawling her eyes out. The concern on his face gave way to a sympathetic gaze that made Jory feel even worse.

"Oh, Jory..." he said softly. His voice made the tears in her eyes spill over and he burst in as the first tear fell down her cheek, wrapping her in his arms tightly. He backed her into the room, letting the door shut behind them. It closed with a soft _click._ They stood, frozen in their embrace, Seth refusing to release his hold on her.

His hug had the effect of opening up a dam she had just gotten under control. She sobbed against him violently, gut-wrenching cries that left her shaking in his arms. While he held onto her, he stroked her hair, trying to offer soothing words of encouragement and comfort while she cried all the injustice and sorrow out of her system. "Mick told me what he had to do tonight, Jory. I'm so sorry," he offered.

She pulled back, sniffling and wiping at her eyes with her hands. "It's...it's okay. It's just...God, I'm so stupid."

"No, you aren't."

"I am. I just...I really thought this time was going to be different. That everything I've been through is over. I got the shot, I ran with it as best I could...I did everything I was supposed to while she dangled her little carrot. And now it's gone, and I'm right back where I started. Swept right back underneath the rug," she choked out. Her sobs were so hard that her words came out in hitched breaths. "God, I should have known better. I should have..."

"Should have what? Jory, you did everything right." He put the shopping bag down on the desk before approaching her again, taking her by the shoulders gently. "You got a shot, and you _killed_ it. You turned one shot into something _incredible_. That's something to be proud of."

"But in the end, it means nothing. It's still _their_ game. It's _her_ company. I'll never get any further. I was stupid to think I ever could." Turning away from him, Seth watched her walk towards the bed. She sat down on the side. "I'm just...I'm sorry, but I don't think I'm good company tonight, Seth. Maybe you should just go. Don't worry about me. Salvage your night."

"What, go and leave you like this? Not likely." He took the ice cream out of the bag and put it in the mini-freezer before he went to sit down beside her on the bed. "We don't have to talk about anything meaningful tonight, but if you think I'm leaving you like this, you're nuts."

"Why would you want to stay?" she asked.

"Because we're friends, and for better or worse, that means you're stuck with me, Jory." He draped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close, biting back a grin when she groaned. Despite her protest, she rested her head against his shoulder. He looked over at her red-rimmed eyes and he felt a red-hot pang of anger inside his chest. _This isn't right. This is such bullshit._ "I got an idea."

"Seth..."

"Hear me out. You go and take a shower as hot as you can stand it. I'll get settled and pick out a movie. We'll just watch something funny. We don't have to talk. If you want ice cream, there's some in the freezer. They didn't have mocha almond, but I got Half Baked. Get your hair brushed and your most comfortable pair of pajamas on, and we'll watch a movie."

"Seth..."

"Go. I'll find something to watch."

"You're not going to budge on this, are you?"

"You're a smart girl," he told her with a grin. "Go. I'll be right here when you get out."

With a sigh, she got up. He watched her go to her bag and pull out some clothing and her toiletries. With one last look and an exchange of tight smiles, she walked into the bathroom. When the door closed, Seth kicked off his shoes and readjusted on the bed.

He'd been expecting to see her when he got to _Raw_. She was usually one of the first people there, usually settled on a trunk in the loading area. Her absence at the spot had been a red flag. She wasn't answering her text messages; he hadn't seen her tweeting at all. When he ran into Mick, he could tell that Mick was not in the best of moods. The Hardcore Legend hadn't wanted to talk, but Seth had managed to get the information out of him.

Stephanie had banned Jory from _Raw_.

Not only had Stephanie banished Jory from the show - a way for Stephanie to get away with what she had done, in Seth's eyes - Stephanie had made Mick call Jory while she was on her way to the arena to tell her that she would be turned away and escorted off the property by security. Stephanie had wanted him to threaten Jory with an arrest if she didn't comply, but Mick told Seth that he didn't do that. The defeat in Jory's voice had crushed Mick's spirit, and made him feel worse than he thought was possible.

Stephanie's interference didn't just cost Jory the Women's Championship; it sent Jory to the back of the line as a contender. Seth's lips pursed in a narrow line; as optimistic as he wanted to be with her, he knew that Jory was right - it was a game, and it was the McMahon Family Chess Board they were playing on. The further back Vince stepped, Hunter and Stephanie stepped up to take over a little bit more. Their bottom line didn't care about the devastation they left behind. It was a game of money and global exposure, with their hired hands.

It hadn't been long since Seth had been inside of their inner circle, but it felt like another lifetime ago. As they plunged the knife over and over into his back, as they played stupid over each other's motives, Seth realized it was the biggest mistake of his life turning on Roman and Dean. He'd had his reasons, but in the end, he was like Jory, cast out. The only difference was he was Seth Freaking Rollins, and it wouldn't be as easy to sweep him under the rug as it had been with Jory.

He thought about her, in the shower with her swollen eyes and her wild hair. After being put in such an awful position for so long, after enduring the things she'd had to, he realized it must have felt incredible to her when she was given a shot. It must have felt even better when people began talking about her abilities, about the talent they had dismissed because of her alliance with The Authority. Mick telling her that she earned a shot at the Women's Championship had probably made her feel like her fortunes were turning.

And then her hopes and dreams were dashed.

The more Seth thought about it, the angrier he got. Stephanie was tightening her hold on Mick, and Seth had his suspicions that Mick probably wasn't going to last. His gut was telling him that Mick was on his way out the door, that the night after _WrestleMania_ was probably going to see Stephanie ushering in a new General Manager. Seth hated the idea of Mick going, but for a guy who made his bones doing the craziest things, Mick was really soft at heart. _The soft never really work out in the end,_ Seth thought to himself with a sigh. He picked up the remote and began to go through the movie selection.

The bathroom door opened and Jory walked out, looking a little more like the woman he knew. Her eyes were still pretty red, but her hair looked tame. The black nightgown she wore was two sizes too big for her. Crossing her arms over her chest, she walked over to the bed and sat down beside him. "Seth..."

"I see _Resident Evil: Degeneration_ here. I haven't seen it. What do you think?"

"It sounds good." She leaned back against the headboard.

"She won't get away with this, Jory." Her head lolled to the side.

"If you think so."

"I know so." He started the movie. "Come here."

They readjusted until his arm was around her shoulders and she was curled up against him. "I wish she'd just let me go," Jory murmured.

"I don't. I like having you around."

"Even when I'm like this?"

"Even when you're like this," he confirmed. She sighed. "You're going to have to help me out here - I've only seen the live-actions."

"You poor thing. Those are terrible." He laughed. "I don't care what anyone says. Jill takes Alice every day of the week."

"The way you were talking about her on Woods' show, I somehow believe it." He looked down at her, at the top of her head. "Speaking of which, did you beat _Cloudburst_?"

"Yeah. Thanks for your help."

"Don't mention it." He wanted to say more to her, but instead, they settled in and watched the movie. By the end, Jory had fallen asleep.

Seth was conflicted about untangling himself from her, but in the end, he moved carefully, making sure she was comfortable and covered before he left the room quietly.

Walking alone down the hallway, he looked down at his phone, checking the time. With a deep sigh, he walked into his hotel room. _Some way, somehow, she's going to get her hands on Stephanie. I'll see to that._


	19. A Twist In My Story

**Chapter 18:**

 **A Twist In My Story**

* * *

Hazel eyes scanning the catering area, Nia's eyes widened when she spotted Jory sitting alone at a back table with her back to the roster. It was the first time Nia had seen Jory in two weeks, and she definitely had some questions that she wanted Jory to answer. Armed with her paper plate full of chicken and rice, Nia walked across the cafeteria area, rounding the table to sit down across from Jory.

"Hey. Tough break," Nia commented. Jory noted that Nia was already in her black and red ring gear and that she had already hit the hair and makeup chairs. Nia could see the weariness and exhaustion in Jory's mint eyes. After two weeks off, Mick had called Jory out of the blue to tell her that her presence had been ordered at _Raw_. So she had packed her things and got on the first flight to Albany to make it in time. She had arrived at the arena cautiously optimistic that her night would be okay, only to see everything blown up and dashed when she saw her name left off the match card. Seeing her name left off of everything made Jory feel like the last month had been for naught, that everything had been a total waste of time. With such a crowded field of women, Jory was certain that the fans weren't going to notice her being kicked to the back of the line once more. This time, though, she had no hope that she would ever make her way back to the front.

"Don't make me hurt you tonight, Nia. I'm not in the mood," Jory murmured, absently picking at the rice and chicken on her paper plate. Nia noticed that Jory hadn't eaten a thing. Her expression softened; Jory couldn't even find the energy to make her words sound threatening.

Banished for two weeks, Jory had ceased communicating with everyone. She didn't answer Nia's text messages or tweets, or even Renee's. When Nia learned that Renee had no information to share, she'd gone to Seth, knowing he would be her last line of defense. She had been grateful to learn that they kept in contact regularly. He didn't hide anything, answering every question she had honestly. She could tell that Seth was bothered by the entire situation and that he hated how hard Jory was taking things. Unfortunately for everyone around her, nobody knew what to do about the situation. How did she report anything to management when the trouble was with management? Jory's career was in the hands of the most vindictive woman in WWE history, and Stephanie always had to make Jory aware of the fact.

Jory sighed and dropped her fork on the plate. "I'm not hungry. I'm gonna go."

"Jory..."

"Good luck with Sasha tonight. Be careful - she's a quick one." Jory got up and left the table before Nia could say anything more. Nia watched her leave, her face a mask of sympathy. Everyone watched Jory make her way through the cafeteria, dropping her plate in the garbage can before leaving. Nia looked down at her plate and realized that the exchange had robbed her of her appetite as well. When she looked up, she saw Renee sit down across from her, in the spot where Jory had just been sitting. Her face looked just as sympathetic.

"She's in bad shape." It was a flat statement from Renee, her thin lips pursed into a thinner line. Nia nodded.

"I talked to Seth last week, and he said he can't pull her out of it."

"I'm betting he can't. I don't even know how she fixes this situation," Renee said with a sigh. "It's not right what Stephanie is doing."

* * *

Seth found Jory alone in the loading area where the forklifts, production trucks and ambulances were located. He knew it was her little spot at the edge of the WWE world, one of the places where Stephanie wouldn't be caught dead. She leaned against the wall, her knees up, sketching in her notebook. She looked up when she sensed his presence, her eyes flickering. "Seth. What are you doing here?"

"Came to see you. Move over." She moved so he could sit next to her on the trunk. He sat down beside her. "How are you tonight?"

"Do you really want me to answer?" she asked. Seth nodded.

"Fair enough." He looked over at her. "What are you working on?"

"Nothing important." She shut the notebook. Jory let her head rest against the wall, and she sighed. "You shouldn't be hanging with me. If you-know-who sees you..."

"I'm not worried about Stephanie. I'm worried about you."

"The last thing you need is her wrath. Why should both of us have to suffer?"

"It's worth it." He looked at the notebook. "Can I see that?"

"It's stupid...it's just my idea book."

"It's probably not stupid," he told her. Reaching out, he took the book from her before she could protest. Opening the book, he saw all the fashion sketches of ring gear she would want to try in the future, different move ideas. It was her wrestling musings, he realized, a portal to the last two years of her life. He saw the list of different companies she would want to try and get into when her contract expired and the idea that she could leave hit him like a punch in the stomach. With the matches she'd had over the last month, he knew Ring of Honor and Chikara would pick her up in a second. But selfishly, he wanted her to stay.

"See? Nothing but stupid doodles."

"No." Seth shook the dark thoughts of her leaving out of his head. "I like this gear here. That feels like a _WrestleMania_ gear _._ "

"Yeah, it does. But I'll never make it to _WrestleMania_ ," she lamented. Seth handed her the book back. "Maybe I'll pass the design onto Nia or something."

"There's still hope." She looked over at him, offering him a tight smile. He did the same.

"Ever the eternal optimist, in spite of everything," she said with a sigh. "I wish I was like you."

"I wouldn't. I barely want to be like me." She laughed.

"What are you doing tonight?" he asked.

"Waiting for the time to run out and then I'm going to the next town."

"You riding alone?" he asked. She nodded.

"Mind if I tag along? I rode with Sheamus and Cesaro, but I think you could use the company more."

"I don't know..."

"I know a great little place, too. Kind of a secret. I thought we'd go there for a late dinner if you're interested. It's just off the turnpike."

"Seth..."

"I'm not going to give up here..."

"I'm not surprised by that. Fine." He clapped his hands together, ecstatic. The expression on his face changed when Jory's ringtone changed. "The Halloween theme?" he asked.

"That's for unknown numbers." He laughed. She grabbed the phone and looked at the screen. "I don't recognize it. You think I should answer it?"

"Do it. Make somebody's night," he said with a laugh. With a roll of her eyes, Jory answered.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Jordana." Seth's eyes widened. Jory looked at him, cocking an eyebrow until the voice on the other end continued. "This is Shane McMahon, Commissioner of _SmackDown Live_. You got a couple minutes to talk?"


	20. A Heart to Heart

**Chapter 19:**

 **A Heart to Heart**

* * *

"Seth?"

Her voice sounded distant in his ears, but it had the effect of acting like a life preserver, pulling him back from the abyss of his thoughts, back to reality. It managed to snap him out of the negativity, despair, and fear circling around inside of his head. His brown eyes shifted to the woman across from him in the booth, dressed in that Blackcraft hoodie that was ridiculously oversized for her petite frame. Before they left the arena, she had thrown her hair back into a messy ponytail. He took in the concern on her face, the worry flashing in her eyes; it only dissipated slightly when he offered her a tight, reassuring smile.

The duo sat in a back booth at Coach House Diner, a twenty-four-hour eatery located off the New Jersey Turnpike. Jory had never been to the place. On the way, Seth had surprised her by confessing that it had been a secret Shield hideout, that he had only ever been with Roman and Dean in tow. It was hard for him not to feel honored about him bringing her to such a special spot. On the turnpike, he had driven home the point that until the split, the place had been _their_ hideout on the east coast. Now that they were split, Seth silently wondered if Dean had ever brought Renee.

At the moment, Seth was halfway through a glass of beer and he had made even less progress on his California veggie wrap. Across from him, Jory was working on a Southwest Panini and a glass of Coke. At the edge of the table was a box of vanilla and chocolate cupcakes, a request Jory made so she could take them with her on the road. Seth wasn't at all surprised; in the time he had come to know her, he had learned her sweet tooth was gigantic. He couldn't think of anyone else with a bigger love of ice cream and baked goods.

"I'm fine. Sorry. Just thinking. You were saying?"

"Nothing important. I just...I don't know. What do you think I should do here?" she asked. Seth took a moment to contemplate his answer. Jory wasn't completely oblivious; since Shane's phone call, Seth had been quiet. For the rest of the night, he seemed to space out on their conversations. She had her suspicions that he wasn't at all thrilled about Shane calling. Jory wasn't sure how she felt, either; she couldn't imagine _SmackDown Live_ General Manager Daniel Bryan was happy about the situation and she couldn't imagine that he would want her on his roster, given their history. It all felt so strange.

"What are you thinking of doing?" he asked. Seth knew he was turning the question back on her, but he still couldn't process what he thought or felt. He knew - it wasn't really a secret to anyone - that Jory was frustrated and depressed with her career post-Authority. He knew that she was tired of fighting with Stephanie, that she was exhausted with the seemingly never-ending cycle of being crushed underneath the Authority wheel. As much as it killed him, he knew the right decision for her would be to go to _SmackDown Live_ and reinvent herself. It was a chance to go somewhere else, with new people, and a chance to start over with a semi-clean slate. It made sense for her to switch brands and leave Hunter and Stephanie in the rear-view mirror.

But selfishly, he didn't want her to go.

He wanted her to stay and fight The Authority by his side. It would be a way of righting the universe: the two former poster kids of the group who team up to overthrow the king and the queen. The story wrote itself; he couldn't think of anything better. Shane's call threatened to throw a monkey wrench into _everything_.

And when it came down to it, he just didn't want to lose her. Not now.

"I don't know what I'm thinking," she confessed with a sigh. "I've been dreaming of getting away from Stephanie for _years_ , and now it's a possibility, and I feel conflicted. People are starting to respect me now, and it feels like there's some unfinished business." She ate a French fry. "But I can reinvent on _SmackDown_." She shrugged. "Maybe I'm reading into it too much right now. Shane wants to talk at _Survivor Series_. Since it's obvious I'm not going to be doing anything at the show anyway, I've got all the time in the world to hear what he has to say." She took a sip of her soda. "I'm under a _Raw_ contract that is pretty ironclad, so I don't see anything really happening. But who knows? Maybe Shane knows something I don't."

"Are you going to tell Mick that you're negotiating with Shane?" Seth asked. She shook her head.

"In a perfect world, I would, just to be professional and respectful. But I need to be careful. If I tip my hand and it blows up in my face, then things could get even worse for me." She looked down at her sandwich. "It's going to be hard enough doing it at an arena where Stephanie and Mick are both going to be present. And I don't know... _SmackDown_ probably is the place for me to go. I'm spinning my wheels here, and Stephanie is just making the mud deeper and thicker it feels like. And Mick...I don't think he's going to last past- _WrestleMania_. He's not going to work out as General Manager. It's admirable he's trying, but those with good hearts never work out with Hunter and Stephanie."

Seth hated to admit it, but he knew she was right. Anyone with a working set of eyes could see that Mick was on thin ice.

"Well, maybe with the way things are going, you can get Shane to take me with you," he cracked. Jory smiled.

"Stephanie would _never_ let you go. Even if she comes to despise you, you are far too good for her to let you go. Especially to her brother." He nodded.

 _"Raw_ would suck without you," he told her. She laughed.

"I'm never on it."

"Jory..."

"I'd miss our ice cream nights. Your workouts probably won't, though," she added with a laugh.

"I'd miss all of this. I like this."

"I do, too." She flashed him a sad smile. "I'm just going to hear him out for now. I haven't decided anything. But it is something to consider."

* * *

 _"Come break me down - bury me, bury me. I am finished with you!"_

Driving towards Newark, Seth and Jory were shouting the lyrics at the top of their lungs, Jory swaying side to side in her seat. "God, I haven't heard this song in forever!" Jory exclaimed with a laugh. In the backseat, the cupcakes were nestled securely. Seth told her they would be at the hotel in about fifteen minutes, and Jory was surprised to find that she felt wide awake; dinner with Seth had given her a second wind, an unexpected development.

Seth looked over at Jory and flashed her a tight grin. _This fucking sucks. I just get to know her, find out she's amazing, and now she's going to leave._ Her words at dinner had done nothing to dissuade Seth from thinking she was going to trade in her red shirt for blue. From an unbiased standpoint, he knew that it was the smartest move for her to make. Friends were friends; if she didn't make the move now, all she could do was stand there while her WWE career got swept under the rug and died a slow and painful death. _SmackDown Live_ had become known for being the Land of Opportunity; it had made people care about Heath Slater after years of being ignored by management. It made Jinder Mahal a legitimate contender. With Jory's talent, he knew that it could do big things for her.

 _But I don't want you to go._

"Seth?"

He looked over at her. "Yeah?"

"What are you thinking?"

" _SmackDown_ is going to gain something special."

"You're too sweet. But I'm not committing to anything at the moment. This might be a colossal waste of time," she told him. "I'm not going to worry about anything until after _Survivor Series_."

"We've got unfinished business with those two," Seth reminded her. "I'd love to see you at least stay long enough to handle that."

"And how do you propose we do that?" she asked.

"I have a plan. But I'll have to get back to you on it when things come together."

Jory studied him, surprised. In the course of a night, after everything had seemed so lost, now it felt like things were about to become much more interesting.


	21. Survivor Series

**Chapter 20:**

 **Survivor Series**

* * *

The first thing Jory noticed about Shane McMahon was his face.

It seems like the most obvious thing to notice, but the things she saw in his face drove home the point that Shane and Stephanie McMahon were polar opposites. Where ice and anger were visible in Stephanie's blue eyes, Shane's brown eyes held a warmth and geniality that put Jory at ease almost immediately. Where Stephanie's smile felt sinister and often ominous, Shane's smile was welcoming. It felt genuine; it felt like he was really happy to see her and speak with her.

They met in an empty locker room in the bowels of the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, in a room far away from everyone. Jory had been the first to arrive, dressed for the cold November evening in a black long-sleeve sweater dress and tights. Her hair was pulled back in a messy bun. She sat alone in the room for a few minutes. Jory was surprised that she hadn't heard from Seth all day, but she knew that he had his hands full; he would be competing in the Team _Raw_ vs. Team _SmackDown_ match later on in the night. So was Shane.

The oldest McMahon child entered the room first, already dressed in his ring gear of a white jersey and navy track pants. Daniel Bryan was behind him, a little to the left, dressed casually in a pair of jeans and a blue and grey plaid shirt. If Daniel was unhappy to take the meeting with her, Jory couldn't see it on his face. Shane approached Jory, extending his hand for her to shake while Daniel shut the door behind them.

"Hello, Jordana. It's great to see you. I hope you haven't been waiting too long," he greeted. She stood, shaking his hand.

"No, not at all," she assured him with a smile. She shifted to the left a little so she could also shake Daniel's hand. Shane and Daniel moved to the other side of the table and they all took their seats, Shane sitting across from Jory. She felt so small with the two of them looking at her, even when their smiles were comforting. "Good luck out there tonight," she offered to Shane. He smiled.

"Thank you." Known for being reckless with his body and lacking any sense of fear, Jory knew there was a good chance that Shane was going to do something stupid and put himself at risk for injury. "But since I am on a tight schedule tonight, I think we should just get down to business."

"All right," she said with a nod, trying her best to staunch the anxious feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"To put it bluntly here, Jordana - the two of us have been watching the things you've been doing this last month, and we also know what's happening between you and the management on your brand," Shane began. "I don't think it's a stretch to say that everyone in this room knows just how vindictive and nasty my sister can be. Everyone in this room has experienced it firsthand." Jory nodded. "The two of us want to offer you a chance for a fresh start. Daniel and I have talked, and we both think that you could be a perfect fit for _SmackDown Live_."

"Both of you?" Jory asked incredulously. Shane opened his mouth to speak, but Daniel took the moment to jump in.

"Both of us," he confirmed. "Shane and I have talked about this at length. I know that our history hasn't been the best, but it's all water under the bridge," Daniel assured her. "There's no heat on my end. I get it."

"And Brie?"

"Brie has bigger things she's thinking about these days," Daniel answered. "But yeah, she knows that Shane and I want you over on _SmackDown_ , and she thinks it's a great idea. All of this stuff...it's all in the past, Jordana. There's no sense in holding onto the hard feelings. I forgave you for things a long time ago. It took Brie leaving and having some time away to gain the perspective, but she isn't angry anymore, either."

"Thank you." Her voice was quiet. Shane and Daniel noticed that she looked like she was holding back tears. It felt like Daniel had taken the weight of the world off her shoulders. Daniel realized that her time in The Authority had left her haunted, and with visible scars. He felt sympathy for her.

As Shane studied her, he noticed something in her eyes. "What's on your mind, Jory?" he asked.

"I'm conflicted." She was blunt, far more candid than she thought she could be with the two men in front of her. "I know that jumping ship should be the easiest decision I've ever made in my life, but, if you can believe it, it's not."

"What's difficult about it?" Shane asked, cocking an eyebrow. Before she could answer, Daniel jumped in.

"You have some unfinished business on _Raw_." She looked at him and nodded.

"I do. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be sorry. If anyone gets it in this room, I do," he told her. She nodded. Daniel looked at Shane. "We can give it time. We can hold off until _WrestleMania_." He looked at Jory and offered her a smile. "There's no rush."

"He's absolutely right," Shane assured her. "As you can see, Daniel is the brains of our operation."

"We'll give you all the time you need to get things in order before we sign a contract," Daniel told her. "We won't do anything now. I can see it in your eyes - there are things you still need to do here, and until it's all done and you've got what you wanted, we won't get through to you."

"I'm so sorry..." she offered again. Daniel and Shane were quick to assure her there was no need to apologize.

"Do what you have to do," Shane told her. "I get that. Why do you think I left for seven years?"

"I wish you guys ran this show," she told them honestly.

"That's not the first time we've heard that," Daniel confessed. Shane looked over at Daniel.

"I've gotta go."

"That's fine. I can finish up here," Daniel told him. Shane got up and thanked Jory for her time before he left.

Alone in the room with Daniel, Jory suddenly felt awkward. As if Daniel could sense it, he offered her a smile. "I meant what I said," he told her when the door clicked shut behind Shane. "That wasn't for show. There's no heat."

"I know. You're not the type."

"I get why you did the things you did. I really do. I know that we all try to do what we think is best for ourselves, so I don't fault you. But I have to ask - did you really see aligning with her as a long-term thing?"

"Honestly?" she asked. He nodded. "I did. But the more I resisted things, the more I started feeling like time was running out." She sighed. "I never wanted to interfere in things with you and Brie. Stephanie wanted me to do things that were even worse than what I did, and I refused. I know it doesn't mean anything now, but I really am sorry about everything. It never felt right."

"It does mean something. I know that unfortunately we sometimes have to get removed from a situation to get some clarity." She nodded. "I've never really held a grudge against you, Jordana. It's not easy going up against The Authority, and I can't imagine working with them was any easier. I, uh, noticed the blonde was gone almost right away when you guys severed ties."

"It was. I hated the blonde. So much."

"You look better this way," he agreed. Daniel stood to leave. "If there's anything I can do to help you with what you're planning, Jordana, let me know. I might not be able to ever step in a ring again, but I'm definitely pulling for you to give Stephanie a taste of her own medicine. It's long overdue. Brie would agree." Jory nodded; Brie was the last woman to get close to giving Stephanie her just desserts, but Stephanie had recruited Nikki to help her win the match.

"Thank you." Daniel nodded and left. Jory sat for a few minutes alone before she left. Word traveled fast backstage; she only hoped nobody caught the guys leaving first.

* * *

Dressed in his ring gear, his hair already wet and hanging around his face, Seth held a cup of coffee that he absently sipped from as he walked down the hallway, past the hair and makeup chairs and his colleagues. He wanted to message Jory to wish her luck on her meeting with Shane and Daniel, but he didn't want anyone to inadvertently see the message. Jory was right when she said the walls had ears, and while he didn't care about their friendship going public, he definitely didn't want to put her in a bad position if the wrong person saw his text messages with her. She was stressed enough about the meeting; he didn't want to add to it.

He hadn't seen her yet, but he hoped to catch up with her before or after his match. There was no way he wasn't going to see her on this night; he needed all the details of her meeting. Seth was doing his best to hide it, but the suspense of what she was going to do was killing him. The idea that he could lose her to the _SmackDown_ brand put him on edge; sure, he could find somebody else, or try and go it alone against The Authority, but it felt like _their_ battle, _their_ war, something they had to do together.

Seth knew he should have been focused on his upcoming match. Team _Raw_ vs. Team _SmackDown_ always carried an immense amount of weight; it was a battle for brand supremacy, and everyone was expected to pull their weight. Along with the magnitude of the match, Seth also knew Dean was on the blue team, and that he was still probably looking to get his hands on Seth and make him pay for that June night in 2014. _That man can hold a fucking grudge, my word,_ Seth thought. _I wonder how Renee deals with it._

Coming to a stop, Seth stared at the General Manager card taped to the door. He hoped that Mick was in the office by himself, that Stephanie was off distracted by something. Taking a deep breath, he knocked and waited for permission to enter. When he heard Mick give the word, he walked into the office, sipping his coffee.

* * *

Jory got off the bed and approached the door. She knew it was Seth knocking on the other side. After her meeting, it seemed like they were constantly just missing each other all night. She ended up giving Nia a ride back to the hotel, where she'd been interrogated about any and all current developments in her friendship with Seth. Jory felt like she was under suspicion; she spent the entire night convincing herself that nobody outside of Seth knew about the meeting.

She opened the door. Seth was armed with a pint of chunky monkey ice cream. "They didn't have the mocha."

"All good. Come on in." She stepped to the side and let him in. Jory shut the door behind him. He was in his pajamas, in black and grey checkered pants and a Parkway Drive T-shirt. He made a beeline to the kitchenette to grab two spoons. "Sorry about tonight," she offered.

"At least I'm not Dean Ambrose. I can't imagine that Shane and Daniel are too happy with him tonight." Jory nodded; Dean's intense feud with AJ Styles had bled into the match. Dean had ended up being a bigger help to _Raw_ than _SmackDown_ , but in the end, _Raw_ had lost the match; Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton had been the last two men standing for their team.

She sat down on the far side of the bed. Seth came to join her, handing her a spoon. They were quiet for a few moments. It was a few moments before Seth spoke, the two of them taking a couple mouthfuls of ice cream before diving into the conversation.

"How did it go tonight with _SmackDown_?"

"Good." She looked at him and offered him a smile. "We're going to hold off on any kind of negotiation."

"What? Why?"

"Daniel understands. There's some unfinished business," she told him. "And who knows? Maybe at the end of all of this, I'll want to stay. But I'm grateful that Shane and Daniel are willing to give me the time I need to do some soul-searching here." She smiled. "I don't want to leave just yet. I want Stephanie to get a taste of some medicine. For everything she's done, I need her to pay." Seth couldn't contain his smile. It was so wide it made his cheeks burn. It was the best news that he could have gotten. "You have a plan?"

"I do, and I started it tonight. Here's what I'm doing..."


	22. Sneak Attack

_**Before I get into this next chapter, I'd like to send out a huge thank you to ambrosesaysnope, elliexhardy (sorry if I misspelled this, I don't have it in front of me), MorbidxAngel, and Mandy for your reviews. This has been the first big writing project I've done in thirteen months, and I'm grateful for the reviews and the support. So thank you, guys.**_

* * *

 **Chapter 21:**

 **Sneak Attack**

* * *

Seth walked through the black curtain that separated the ring area with Gorilla. There was an aggravated stomp in his step, his brown eyes narrowed and downcast to the floor. Once again he had been given an opportunity to get his hands on the Universal title, and once again, Chris Jericho had gotten involved on behalf of his best friend. Chris had once again done everything in his power to make sure his best friend retained the title, and once again, he had succeeded. Seth stormed through Gorilla and walked through the black curtains that took him to the backstage area without saying a word to anyone. Once again he had come up short, and while Chris Jericho played a huge hand in it, Seth knew that he had to own this failure once again.

He wondered just what he had to do to get Chris Jericho out of the picture. Chris and Kevin had stacked the deck against him, and as frustrated as Seth was, he couldn't be completely angry about it; after all, he'd had J&J Security doing his dirty work. _J &J had been bumbling idiots, though, _Seth thought to himself. _As accomplished as they were back in the day, as security, they couldn't hit water if they fell out of a boat._ Seth sighed; eventually, Chris would have a new Fozzy album to plug, and he'd leave to go on the road to promote it, but the time frame wasn't soon enough for Seth. _What the hell do I have to do to get a fair shot here? This is fucking ridiculous. I can't even get a cage match without him!_

Once he was backstage, away from the eyes of management and producers, Seth found himself looking forward to a hot shower, a change of clothing and getting on the road to the next town. He was riding with Sheamus and Cesaro this week, and once again he was wondering why he hadn't arranged to ride with Jory. The newborn tag team was still suffering from growing pains, and the way they were at each other's throats made Seth want to kill them.

Seth had been meaning to talk to Jory about the idea of becoming his permanent travel partner for the remainder of her time on _Raw_ , but he was too nervous to make the offer. It was such a little thing, to arrange a consistent travel partner, but he felt like he was asking her to do something big. Part of him was worried that he was misreading things between the two of them, and she would reject it. Even though she was staying on _Raw_ \- for now, at least - the thought of losing her to _SmackDown_ had him doing a lot of thinking about where things stood between the two of them. After spending so much time being the Bad Guy, being seen as a coward by his friends and colleagues, Seth found that he was thankful for Jory's presence in his life. She had come at one of his lowest points with nothing but acceptance, during a time when everyone was content with ignoring him.

"Seth! Hey, Seth, there you are!"

Turning, he saw Renee approaching him quickly, dressed in blue jeans, a white lace camisole, and a denim jacket. Her face was a mask of panic. Since she was married to Dean Ambrose, their friendship had skidded to a halt when The Shield split, but as a friend of Jory's, he noticed that the divide between the two of them was beginning to thaw. His eyes narrowed inquisitively at the panic on her face. It was like there was some kind of heavy crisis.

"Hey," he greeted with a sigh. "What's up?"

"It's Jory," she blurted.

His exhaustion disappeared instantly, replaced by an alarming amount of panic and alertness. "What? What about Jory?"

"Somebody attacked her earlier. She's in the trainer's room. Nia found her knocked out."

"Attacked? Who..."

"I don't know. I haven't seen her yet. I just ran into Nia."

"Fuck..." He went to rush towards the trainer's room, but Renee stopped him.

"Seth." He turned to her. "I have to go and do a thing with Sam Roberts. Keep me posted, please?"

"Can do." They separated and he made his way down the hallway quickly, doing everything he could to keep himself from running. The anger and frustration he had felt about things only moments before was now replaced with nothing but worry for Jory. He had no doubt that whoever attacked her was probably working under Stephanie's orders. Seth didn't think it was a coincidence that the attack came so soon after meeting with Shane and Daniel. _Did somebody find out about the meeting? Did somebody see them? They were all trying to be so careful..._

He walked into the trainer's room, startling everyone in the room. Jory was sitting on a folding chair with an ice pack on the back of her neck. It was clear she had been hit hard; he could see it in her eyes. Whatever had happened had knocked her loopy.

She looked up at Seth and offered him a tight smile. "I'm okay. Please don't panic," she pleaded.

"Jory..."

"Can I ask you a favor?"

"Of course. Anything," he told her quickly, grabbing a chair to sit down across from her. He took her hand in his, a comforting gesture. They offered each other comforting smiles. "Name it. Anything."

"I rode alone this week, and Dr. Amann doesn't want me to drive by myself right now..."

"Done and done. I'll get in touch with the guys and let them know what's happening. They'll understand." He stood. "I'll go get your stuff together and load it in the car. Meet me there when Dr. Amann releases you, okay?" She nodded. Jory was quiet as Seth left the room.

* * *

"Come on in!"

Seth opened the door to find Nia and Sasha packing up their things for the night, the two women out of their ring gear and dressed comfortably for the drive to the next town. "Hey, Seth," Nia greeted. Her hair was pulled back in a messy bun. She was set to ride with Byron Saxton.

"Hey. Sorry to interrupt you ladies, but I'm just here to get Jory's things together for the drive." Nia nodded.

"I figured. I got her stuff packed up. It's over there." Nia cocked her head to the right. Seth saw her bags in the corner.

"Thanks."

"How is she doing?" Nia asked.

"She's conscious. It's going to take more than a back attack to keep her down."

"Seth..."

"Dr. Amann doesn't want her driving, and she's riding alone, so I'm just going to take her back to the hotel and pump her full of ice cream. It'll make her feel better." Nia shot him a look. "She'll be fine, I promise. I'll check up on her through the night, in case she has a concussion. She was looking pretty loopy."

Nia nodded. Anyone with a working set of eyes could see that something was developing between Jory and Seth, but Nia wasn't going to question Seth about it. When Jory felt better, however...

Gathering her bags, Seth bid the women goodnight before he left. He wanted to make sure that when Jory got out of the trainer's room, that all she had to do was get in the car and go.

* * *

 _"Tell me something sweet to get me by...cause I can't come back home 'till they're singing la, la la la, la la la..."_

Seth looked over at Jory in the passenger's seat, her head rested on her hand. She hadn't said much the whole drive, and Seth was trying to give her silence for her headache. He noted that she looked exhausted. "You wanna talk about what happened?" he asked her out of the blue. She looked at him, shaking her head.

"There's nothing to talk about," she said with a sigh. "I didn't see it. I got hit from behind and I was out before I even hit the ground. I got hit with something..." She shook her head. "It felt metal."

"Who would want to attack you?" he asked.

"I don't know," she answered honestly. "I kind of thought we were past this."

"Jory..."

"I didn't see anything. I was out before I hit the ground. I woke up on Nia's shoulder. She picked me up and took me to the trainer's room."

"Do you have any suspicions?"

"No, but I bet I know whose name was on the weapon," Jory told him.

"I had the same thought."

"You don't think she caught wind somehow of the talk with Shane and Daniel, do you?" he asked.

"It's possible. You know the business is in this day and age," she told him. "Secrets are impossible. And we talked in the arena, which probably didn't help."

"If Stephanie knows you've talked to _SmackDown_ , things could get dangerous."

"I've got nothing to lose here, Seth. What more can she do to me?" she asked.

"Fair point." Seth looked over at her.

"Thanks for doing this."

"Don't even worry about. I think maybe we should be doing this more."

She looked at him now. "You'd want to be stuck with me that much?"

"Sure. You're not so bad," he cracked. Jory couldn't help but smile. "With the way things are going right now, anyway, it might just be better to have some strength in numbers. If you're cool with that."

"I could do worse," she joked. Seth shot her a look, and the two of them broke into a fit of giggles after a moment. "It makes sense."

Seth pulled his car into a 24/7 convenience store parking lot. Jory shot him a look. "Ice cream run. I think you need it after tonight."

"You're too sweet. You're also right." With a smile, Seth told her to wait in the car while he ran in to get her everything she needed to recuperate.


	23. On A Cold Night In Flair Country

_**Huge thanks to everyone for the reviews. So here is a bonus chapter.**_

* * *

 **Chapter 22:**

 **On A Cold Night In Flair Country**

* * *

 _Raw_ was in Charlotte, North Carolina, known in the pro wrestling world as "Flair Country". Dressed in burgundy pants, a black leather jacket with a nautical navy scarf and no shirt, Chris Jericho strode angrily across the parking lot, holding The List in one hand and the handle of his suitcase in the other. "Driver! Open the door!" Chris barked, coming to a stop in front of a black limousine. The driver, a young gangly kid in a black and white suit, moved quickly, but he wasn't fast enough for the WWE legend. "What are you waiting for? Open the door," he told him tersely. "When I tell you to open the door, you open it," added angrily. The young driver, beside himself with fear, shaking from the tone of Chris' voice, opened the back door of the limousine, inadvertently knocking The List out of Chris' hand. It hit the floor, clattering on the concrete.

The driver stepped back a step. Chris took a menacing step forward, pointing his finger at the driver. " _You_ are a _stupid idiot_ ," Chris spat in disgust. "Now get in the car." Chris bent down to pick up his fallen List.

"Did I just make The List?"

"You're damn right you..." Chris turned around, trailing off.

Seth stood in front of him, dressed in black pants and a Seth Freaking Rollins T-shirt, a bemused expression on his face. The two of them stood still for a moment, at an impasse, before Chris turned around to break into a run.

Thinking quickly, not wanting to allow Chris to slip through his fingers, Seth dove into the open limousine, coming out of the door on the other side to intercept Chris. His plan worked perfectly, and he began hitting Chris with punches to the face. Chris couldn't get the upper hand, and Seth grabbed Chris by the back of the head and slammed his face down on the trunk of the car. He gave Chris no time to recover, grabbing him again and launching him into the security barricade. Chris knocked it over, taking an ugly landing as the barricade tipped over on its side. Chris rolled onto the concrete, holding his side, howling in pain as Seth approached.

He grabbed Chris again, by the hair, launching him onto the hood of another car in the parking lot. Seth was on him right away, hitting him with punches and forearms. "Did I just make The List?" Seth asked over and over again. After a few shots to the back of the head, Seth backed off. He looked around the parking lot, looking for some kind of weapon. Seth settled on the security barricade. He grabbed it, holding it high over his head. Launching it, Chris moved out of the way at the last second, hitting the concrete as the barricade bounced off the hood of the car. Chris began to crawl away, hoping to put as much distance between himself and Seth as he could.

Seth looked over at Chris, who scrambled to his feet, trying to get inside the limousine to make an escape. Once again, Seth was faster, rushing to grab Chris by the back of his pants and jacket. He pulled Chris away from the limousine and launched him into another car. Chris hit shoulder first before falling to the ground, but Seth wasn't ready to let up on him yet. He threw Chris into another car and Chris sank to the ground, huffing in agony.

Ready to call it a brawl, Seth set Chris up for The Pedigree, but Chris countered, placing Seth awkwardly on the hood of the car. Seth scrambled to the roof and grabbed Chris by the back of his jacket, dragging Chris onto the roof with him. He locked Chris into the Pedigree and dropped him.

Seth got to his feet, standing on the hood of the black car, looking down at the fallen and battered body of Chris Jericho at his feet. After months of throwing a wrench into every plan that he had, Chris was now out cold for his efforts, face-down and still. Backstage cameras were on Seth and Chris, and even though he knew he would catch some hell for it, Seth felt like it was worth it. He wasn't supposed to be there, but there was no way he was going to let Chris have another week of getting away with his shenanigans.

He got off the car, leaving Chris in his spot. Pushing the hair out of his face with his hand, Seth walked into the arena with a bit of a swagger in his step. Roman had a match against Kevin Owens later in the night, and Seth had effectively acted as an equalizer.

* * *

On his way to get a celebratory coffee for his backstage assault on Chris Jericho, Seth turned down the hallway where the makeup chairs and tables were located. The only way to make it to the catering area was to pass through the beauty station. It took Seth a moment for his eyes to register the scene in front of him, but his brain clicked quickly. He stopped in his tracks.

Jory sat in the makeup chair, leaned a little forward, her eyes closed while one of the makeup artists - Leslie - worked on her eye makeup. Her hair was already styled in beautiful curls that fell around her face. It took him another second or two to realize that she was wearing one of the new items set to hit WWE Shop soon. She looked like she was getting ready to model it.

It was _his_ ugly Christmas sweater.

He grinned, walking over to the empty chair beside her with a bit of a bounce in his step. Seth sat down beside her, watching Leslie apply fake eyelashes. "Hi, Seth," Leslie greeted. When Leslie finished, Jory opened her eyes and turned her head to the left, surprised to see him. He wasn't supposed to be at the show; it was something that she had been disappointed to hear.

"Hey. What are you doing here? I thought you weren't supposed to be here."

"Yeah, like I was going to listen to that," Seth scoffed, sitting back in the chair.

"I figured. So, what's got you in such a good mood?" she asked.

"Jericho's laid out in the parking lot."

"You're kidding. Seriously?" Jory examined the smug expression on his face, and knew right away he was telling the truth. "You did it." Seth nodded. Jory didn't respond; she had to part her lips so Leslie could apply the MAC Ruby Woo lipstick. When she finished, Leslie had Jory blot her lips on a napkin. Leslie took the napkin away and Jory turned her attention back to Seth. "Well, I can't say that Jericho hasn't been asking for it lately. But I'm sure Roman appreciates it. He gets a fair fight tonight, it looks like."

"Yeah, he does. I'm going to go talk to him before I leave."

"You think that's a good idea?"

"There were cameras. He knows what I did." Jory nodded. "Enough about that, though. What's going on tonight?"

"I have no match, but it's fine because Mick asked me to do some modeling for Shop." She looked down at the bright sweater and shook her head. "While this is super comfortable, my only gripe is that it should have been in black and gold. But it is supposed to be ugly, I guess."

"It is pretty light," he agreed. "But I have to admit...this..." He motioned to her overall look, the sweater, and the slashed tights, "defeats the purpose of the ugly Christmas sweater. You make it look _amazing_." Leslie shot Seth a surprised look, her hazel eyes twinkling with amusement. Jory let out a nervous laugh.

"Thanks. I appreciate that."

"Seriously...I'll talk to Mick, and if you ever want to model my merch...I mean, hell, I think you do a better job of it than I do," he told her honestly. She laughed again, shaking her head.

"Just butter me up, why don't you?" She was shocked to see Seth _blushing_. "I mean it. I haven't gotten to model _anything_ here in over two years. I'm legitimately nervous about doing this."

"You'll do great." Jory got out of the makeup chair.

"Thanks. And thank you for everything, Leslie. You're a rock star with a makeup brush."

"I'm glad you think so. Before you go, though, I want to get a picture for the Glam Squad Instagram." Jory nodded. She stood still and shut her eyes so Leslie could get a picture of the entire makeup look. At the last second, Jory was surprised to feel an arm around her shoulders. When the picture was over, she looked over at Seth, who shot her a grin.

"Rollins with the photobomb," Leslie laughed. She held out the phone for them to see, and Jory had to laugh at the picture. Seth's eyes were wide, his mouth wide open like he was mid-yell. Jory thanked Leslie for her work once more before the two of them left the makeup area.

"So, you beat the stuffing out of Jericho..."

"I sure did. It felt great, too." He shot her a look, suddenly feeling unsure of himself. "Do you think it was a bad idea?"

"I'm not going to tell you it was the wrong thing to do if that's what you're asking. I mean, it's not a secret that Jericho's been asking for a beating in the worst way for months now," she told him. He nodded. "It's just hard for me to see a guy like Chris become such a sycophant. Especially for a guy like Kevin Owens. I still can't wrap my head around it. But, if he's decided that Kevin Owens is the hill he wants to die on, that's his deal."

"You're right about that." He looked at her. _She looks amazing._ "I can't wait to see the pictures. You're going to kill this."

"Please. The other girls are gonna rock it so much more..."

"Have some confidence in yourself." He draped an arm over her shoulders and pulled her in for a half-hug. "What are your plans after the show tonight?"

"Nothing. Zip, zero, zilch. I'm working on the current season of _American Horror Story_ that just wrapped. I'm kind of in a game of keeping up with my sister with the show," she confessed with a laugh.

"Would you mind some company for it?"

"I dunno. Depends on the company." Seth noticed the change in her voice; it had become sing-song, almost teasing. He opened his mouth to respond, but she gently bumped him with her body. "If you're asking if you can hang, I'm always up for hanging with you. I like our evening hangouts."

"Just at night?"

"Yeah. I'm not a fan of how early you get up." He laughed.

"Maybe if you cut down on all that sugar, you'd be better at getting up in the morning," he pointed out.

"Don't get between a girl and her snacks," she threatened.

"Do you need me to stop for some on the way back to the hotel tonight? I'm going to grab a coffee and get out of here before security throws me out," he told her.

"I appreciate the offer, but I'm good. I stopped at a store when I made it to town earlier. All you need to do is show up." He nodded. "If what you're telling me is true, though, you should get your coffee and get the hell out of here before Stephanie sees you. I'll text you when I get back to the hotel."

"Sounds good. Where are you staying?"

"Holiday Inn at Charlotte Center."

"Great. I'm at the one by the airport." They stopped walking, turning to each other. "I'll see you later tonight. Knock it out of the park like only you can."

"Thanks. I'll see you later." They bumped fists and Seth left her in the hallway. He turned back to give her a smile before he disappeared down the hallway. Jory turned and continued down the hallway, towards the center of the arena where the photo shoot was supposed to take place.

* * *

 _I think this is the pic they are going with._

Seth looked at the picture and sucked in a breath. _Holy shit. She looks incredible_.

There were a few photographs she had sent from the shoot, but the first shot was the one she was pretty sure they were going to go with since it showed off the best view of the sweater. He silently thanked his lucky stars that somebody decided that _she_ was going to be the one to model his merchandise. His favorite picture of the bunch was the one where she looked like she was ready to throw a snowball. He loved the way her hair looked in the shot, how light her eyes looked when the light hit them. He didn't have a photographer's eye, but he knew that was his personal favorite.

 _Are you on your way?_

 _I am. I'm just getting my shoes on and I'll be right over._

 _Great. I'll see you when you get here. Be careful out there - there's a lot of maniacs on the road tonight._

 _Thanks for the heads up._ Seth slid his cell phone into the pocket of his hoodie. Sliding his key-card into the back pocket of his pants, Seth left the hotel room.

* * *

Jory's attention was pulled away from her book when the knocking started on her door. Placing the bookmark inside, she shut the book and left it on the nightstand. Swinging her legs over the bed, she got up and walked to the door. She didn't have to look through the peephole to know that it was Seth on the other side of the door. Unlocking the dead-bolt, she pulled the door open to reveal her suspicions were correct. Seth turned when she opened the door, offering her a wide smile. He was still in his clothing from _Raw_ , but his hair was pulled back. He took in her pajamas, the big black T-shirt and the blue and black plaid shorts.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hey. Glad you made it. Come on in." She stood to the side so he could walk into the room. "Did you manage to make it out of the arena before Stephanie found you?"

"Yeah, but not before Mick," he answered, sliding his shoes off. "I've got Jericho at _Roadblock_."

"You've got to be happy about that," she commented, shutting the door behind him. He looked around the room, noticing that she had set up her computer to cast from the TV.

"Sure." He turned his attention back to Jory, who was on her way to the kitchen.

"So, there's a bit of a change of plans tonight. It's a bit too cold for ice cream, so I've got brownies and hot chocolate stuff if that's cool."

"I'm good with that," Seth told her. While she got things ready, Seth sat down on the bed and made himself comfortable. "How did your shoot go?"

"Good. It was fun. Renee was there modeling the Austin sweater, so she put me at ease." She turned to look at Seth, leaning against the counter. "What kind of hot chocolate did you want? I've got Rolo, Coffee Crisp or After Eight."

"Coffee Crisp sounds amazing."

"Whipped cream?"

"Hell yeah." She smiled at him before she turned to get the mugs ready. "Have you heard anything else about who attacked you?"

"Nothing. Nobody saw anything, either, so it's either a one-off or hopefully I see the jerk next time." She smiled. "Let's not talk about work tonight."

"I'm good with that." The kettle clicked off and Jory made the drinks. She turned. "Head's up."

Seth caught the box of Cosmic brownies she threw at him. "Oh, man, amazing. I love the zebra cakes."

"I'll have to remember that for next time." She applied the whipped cream to both mugs of hot chocolate and put it back in the fridge.

"I haven't kept up on this, so I might have some questions."

"The good news for you is I'm only two episodes into the season, so you haven't missed much." She approached the bed, handing him his cup. He thanked her and took a sip. She giggled and pointed at her nose. He wiped the whipped cream away and put the mug down on the nightstand. Jory put hers down on her side before she went to the TV to start the show. Seth shut off the light when the episode started.

"Thanks for coming out," she told him, getting herself comfortable beside him on the bed.

"Thanks for having me. You make a mean hot chocolate," he told her. They fell quiet. Seth readjusted so he was a little closer to her, draping his arm over her shoulders. He expected Jory to put some distance between them, but he was pleasantly surprised when she burrowed closer, resting her head on his shoulder.

He stayed far later than he should have. Once again, he stayed until she had fallen into a dead sleep against him, and once again, he hated the idea of untangling himself from her and sneaking out of her hotel room like a thief in the night. In a perfect world, where everything was more defined, he would stay. It had been a long time since he'd had a moment like this, and the idea of having to leave it pained him. But he moved carefully, making sure that she was comfortable and tucked in before he quietly moved around the room.

Seth closed her laptop before he put on his shoes and his hoodie. Zipping it up, he opened the door as quietly as he could, not wanting to wake her. He shut the door as quietly as he could, releasing his breath when he was out of the room.

"Walk of Shame."

Seth almost jumped out of his skin. Turning, he saw Roman standing behind him, dressed in a black T-shirt and jeans, his hair pulled into a bun. Seth shook his head. "Don't fucking do that. You scared the hell out of me."

"You and Jordana, huh?" he asked. Seth shook his head.

"It's not like that, man. Not like that at all." He looked at Roman. "What are you still doing up?"

"Can't sleep. I'm going to go get something to eat. You wanna come with?"

"We're back on those terms?" Seth asked.

"Sure. You took out Jericho for me tonight. That's gotta count for something, right?"

"I'd like to think so," Seth said. "Yeah, sure. Food sounds good before I hit the sack." The two of them walked into the elevator. They were quiet all the way down.

"Seth..."

"This kind of feels a little like old times," Seth said. "Only one missing here is Ambrose."

"Yeah, but I wouldn't hold your breath on forgiveness out of him just yet."

"I know." They walked across the lobby of the hotel.

"I gotta ask, bro, was it worth it?"

"No. It wasn't," Seth told him honestly. "I don't know how I ever convinced myself that it was."

"You hurt us."

"I know. I've kind of been learning a lot about myself since coming back. I've been a total dick," Seth admitted. Roman nodded.

"I won't disagree with that." Seth held the door open for Roman.

"I'll drive." Roman nodded and followed Seth to his rental car. Roman settled in the passenger's seat. Their conversation stalled until the two of them were on the road.

"So, you and the Princess, huh?"

"She's not a princess, Roman."

"I've been hearing about the two of you a lot lately."

"We're just hanging out."

" _Hanging_ out?"

"It's not like that."

"With you? That's hard to believe."

"Well, it is." Seth kept his eyes on the road. "I've got kind of a good thing going with her right now. I don't want to wreck it."

"Does she know?"

"I don't think so," Seth confessed. "I haven't exactly talked to her about this."

"You plan on it?"

"I don't know. Probably. I just...I don't want to fuck it up, okay? I've fucked up a lot of things over the past couple years, and if I blow it and make a mess out of all of this...it would be devastating, okay?"

"Wow. It's that deep with her, is it?" Seth didn't have to answer. "At some point, you might have to say something. A girl like that can't stay single for long."

"Thanks for the newsflash."

"It's what I do." The two men continued to drive. Despite the air of discomfort between the two of them, to Seth, it still felt like old times. It gave him hope that one day he could right every wrong he'd done.


	24. End of the Line

**Chapter 23:**

 **End of the Line**

* * *

Seth Rollins should have been happy.

His match against Chris Jericho at _Roadblock: End of the Line_ had gone _exactly_ the way he had hoped. After his attack on Chris backstage, it was another chance for Seth to show Chris that he wasn't playing around. Chris had been defeated, decisively, and Seth got to drive home the point to a legend that he wasn't playing around when it came to Chris and Kevin's antics. He proved that when it came to top-tier talent within the WWE, nobody had to look further than Seth Freaking Rollins. With a high-profile victory under his belt, he should have been happy to see himself back on the map. He should have been making plans to go out and light the town up with his closest friends.

But he wasn't.

It wasn't two minutes after he got backstage before the high he felt crashed to the ground. Renee had found him almost immediately, dressed in black and with a face like somebody had died. She had been in an absolute panic, speaking frantically and waving her arms. Now, here he was, less than ten minutes later, in his ring gear and a Seth Freaking Rollins T-shirt, breaking every speed limit. _Bad Vibrations_ blared from the rental car speakers; it was a song that suddenly seemed to capture the spirit of the evening.

He saw the red letters that spelled EMERGENCY against the bright blue backdrop and Seth quickly turned his car into the parking lot, taking the first empty space he found. The lot was almost empty, and he was relieved; it meant it was a slow night in the emergency room. Killing the ignition quickly, Seth was out of the car in a flash, taking care of the pay parking arrangements in record time. He left the ticket on the dash and locked up the car before sprinting towards the doors.

The first thing he noticed was that there was barely anyone in the emergency room waiting area. He approached the nurse's station, where an older woman with glasses hanging low on her narrow nose was looking at a computer screen. She turned to Seth and offered him a courteous smile. "Can I help you?" she asked.

"I'm looking for a girl brought in here. Jordana Moody."

"You'll want to go through those doors," she told him, cocking her head to the left. Seth was already through the doors before she could say anything more. He stopped in the middle of the area, his eyes scanning for any sign of her. There was a surge of relief when he spotted a doctor, an older man with brown hair and grey-green eyes. The doctor turned to Seth, noting the athletic wear and the T-shirt. "Can I help you?" he asked.

"I'm looking for a woman that was brought in here tonight. Jordana Moody. She was at the show at the PPG..."

"She's down the hall, the last room on the left-hand side."

"Thank you." Seth was on his way down the hall in a flash, dodging gurneys and hospital staff with impressive coordination and agility. He made it to the last room on the left, pulling the curtain back urgently. He froze, his eyes wide.

Jory sat on the bed, her head turned to the left while the doctor worked on stitching a long gash that went from her right wrist to her elbow. Her gaze changed targets when the curtains were yanked open and she was surprised to find Seth standing there, his face priceless. "Seth? What are you doing...?"

"Renee told me. As you can see, I came as soon as I could." She smiled slightly, realizing he was still in his ring gear. He walked into the room, closing the curtains behind him. "Fuck, Jory, that looks really ugly."

"It doesn't feel any better, either," Jory confessed, sucking in a breath. "It was my arm or my face, though."

"You the one who went through the car in the parking lot?" he asked. He'd half-noticed it on the way out, just because of the amount of blood on the concrete. His only thought had been getting to the hospital, so he didn't give it much thought. She didn't have to answer; she had been. Seth ran a hand through his hair. "Jory..."

"Seth, I really hate to do this, but now that you're here, do you think you can sit with me? I really don't like needles. I like this needle even less."

"Yeah, of course." He moved quickly, sitting down beside her on the bed, taking her hand in his. He gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"How did your match go?" she asked, wincing.

"I won."

"That's great..." She hissed. Seth looked over; there was still just under half of her arm left to stitch.

"What...?"

"We'll talk about this when I get out of here."

"When is that going to be?"

"I don't know. They want to look at a concussion and nerve damage in my arm," Jory said with a sigh.

"Wow."

"I know."

"I think you should come and stay with me tonight," Seth told her. He examined her face. She was pale, and it looked like there was a little vacancy in her green eyes. "I don't think I want to leave you alone tonight."

"Seth..."

"I'm not going to take no for an answer. I've got a fold-out couch in the room I can take. But you look out of it. I'd rather be close by in case you need anything."

"It's just my arm..."

"It's your head, too. I can see it in your eyes."

"I can't just cancel my room, Seth. They'll charge..."

"I'll handle it. Where are you staying?"

"The Doubletree."

"I'll call them and take care of everything, okay? But I'm not going to leave you by yourself tonight. Not like this." Jory sighed.

"There's no arguing this with you tonight, is there?"

"No. I'll sit here with you until this is finished, and then I'll go and take care of some things while they clean you up." He shook his head. "Nothing but trouble, are you?" he teased. Jory sighed.

"Sorry. I really thought those days were behind me. It turns out it still knows where I am from time to time." She hissed again. Her next words were to the doctor. "I thought you froze my arm. I'm not supposed to be feeling it this much, am I?"

"I did freeze it. If it didn't take, I can try again?"

"No. I don't want another needle. I'll just..." She hissed again. Turning her head, she let herself burrow into Seth's chest. "I hate this. I hate this. I hate this so much," she told him, her voice almost a whimper. His expression softening into a look of sympathy, Seth brought his hand up and began to stroke her hair to soothe her. It was the only thing he could think of doing.

"I know. But it'll be over soon, and they'll get you stitched up and good as new, and we'll leave and get you some ice cream and sugar, and you can relax for the rest of the night. We'll watch a funny movie, and we'll find some way to salvage this night, okay?"

"This feels nice," she murmured against his chest. He smiled. _I can't say I disagree_ , he thought to himself.

"Just focus on this. Focus on my voice," he told her gently. "You'll be good as new before you know it. You'll be out of here before you know it."

"I can't believe you're here," she confessed.

"I had to figure out where they sent people who got hurt tonight, but of course I came. We rode together. How were you going to leave?" he asked her.

"Seth..." She was whimpering, close to tears. Seth ran his tongue along the inside of his cheek and sighed.

"Look at you. Big Bad Jory Moody, scared of a little needle."

"I'm not scared. It just...it hurts. There are so many stitches, it feels like. The scar..."

"Who cares about the scar?" he told her. "I don't."

"Seth..."

"There we go, Miss Moody. We're all finished here. We're just going to clean up your wound and get you bandaged up, and then we'll run a couple tests and get you out of here." She removed her head from Seth's chest and turned to the doctor.

"Thank you." He removed his gloves and got up to grab a new pair. Jory looked down at her forearm and burst into tears at its appearance. Seth hugged her again.

"It's okay," he soothed. "It's okay..."

She held her arm out again while the doctor cleaned up the wound. She hissed as he padded at the wound with some gauze. While he worked, as much as he hated to do it, Seth untangled himself from her and left the room to make a few phone calls.

* * *

"Hey, Renee. It's Seth."

"I know. Caller ID. What's her prognosis?"

"She's got about thirty stitches in her arm. They are just cleaning that up, and then they're going to do some concussion and nerve damage tests. After that, we should be able to get the hell out of here. She's in a lot of pain," Seth added with a sad sigh. It had killed him to see her cry.

"What happened?"

"I don't know. She's not talking about it right now. She said she'd talk about it when we get out of here. I canceled her hotel for tonight." It had cost him ringside seats to _Monday Night Raw_ , but it had been done, and she wouldn't be charged. "She's going to come back to the hotel with me. You're staying at Days, too, right?"

"I am."

"I know you're still at the show, so can you do me a favor?"

"What do you need?"

"Her things are still there. Would I be able to get you to bring them to the hotel, and I'll just pick them up when we make it back? I think we're still going to be here for a while, so I'll have to call you when we make it back."

"Yeah. I can do that."

"Thanks, Renee. I've got to go and get back to her. She's taking things kind of hard. I'll call you when we make it back. Thank you so much. I owe you."

"No worries. Give her a hug for me."

"That, I can do." They said their goodbyes and Seth hung up the phone. Before he went back to Jory, he stopped at a vending machine and got her a bottle of orange juice in hopes of taking some of the paleness out of her skin. He couldn't tell if the loss of pallor was a result of blood loss, or her being squeamish, or a combination of both. He grabbed it out of the bottom of the machine and went back to her, unscrewing the cap as he walked.

The nurse was dressing the wound on Jory's forearm. It had been packed with gauze and now the nurse worked on wrapping it. Seth handed her the bottle of orange juice. "You look really pale. I want you to drink this for me, okay?" She looked up at him and nodded.

"Okay. Thank you." She took a sip. "Before we get on the road tomorrow, I'm going to need to stop at a pharmacy for some vitamin E capsules."

"Whatever you need to do."

"My son's a huge fan," the nurse piped up. "He's eight."

"That's a great age," Jory said with a smile.

"He'll never believe this."

"Tell you what...take good care of my friend here, and I'll sign a few things and take a picture before we go." The nurse grinned.

"He's going to lose it."

* * *

 _"Seth!"_

Jory couldn't help but laugh as Seth reached underneath her knees and picked her up, carrying her over the threshold bridal style. He walked her all the way over to the king bed in the middle of the room and sat her down. It was almost midnight, the earliest Seth had made it back to the hotel in a long time. Moving behind her, he adjusted the pillows so she could lean against the headboard comfortably. "You wait right here. I'm going to go and grab your bags from Renee."

"I can..."

"You just relax." He was out of the door in a flash, leaving Jory alone. She looked down at the giant white bandage on her arm and sighed.

Seth returned moments later, dragging her bag behind him. "Seth, I can..."

"Stay. It's fine. It's good." He let the door close behind him. He put her bag with his. "Renee wanted to see you, but I figured you probably wanted to rest, so we're meeting her for breakfast in the morning." He looked her over. "You still look pretty pale. I want you to rest tonight."

"Yes, _Father_ ," Jory said with a roll of her eyes. Seth shot her a dirty look as she got off the bed. "Don't look at me like that. I am going to do what you say - I am going to get into my most comfortable pajamas, and then I am going to relax."

She passed Seth, going to her suitcase. She grabbed a black satin nightgown that wasn't going to take too much effort to put on before she disappeared into the bathroom. While she changed, Seth grabbed his pajama pants. His plan was to have a shower and get changed since he'd rushed to the hospital straight from his show. When Jory came out, he passed her.

"I'll be out in a few. Find a movie you want to watch."

Seth took a quick shower; he didn't want to leave Jory by herself for too long, and there were some questions that he still needed answered. When he came out, feeling a little more human, he found Jory on the bed with a pint of ice cream and two spoons. She was underneath the blanket. He looked over at the TV and saw she had found _Deadpool_ to watch On Demand.

"Feeling better?" she asked.

"I do," he told her, moving around the bed. She pulled back the covers. _Shit_.

"This one okay? I didn't get a chance to see it in theaters."

"This is fine. It's fucking hilarious."

"Good. That's what I'm aiming for tonight." He got into the bed beside her and fixed the covers over his waist. She handed him the extra spoon and moved closer to him, careful not to aggravate her arm. They were quiet as they took their first couple bites of ice cream.

"What happened?"

"I got attacked from behind once again." She sighed. "It was embarrassing. I got my ass handed to me."

"Did you see who did it this time?"

"Yeah, I did." She sighed. "She's the one Hunter was always holding over my head. The other big prospect who would do anything he asked for my spot." She took a bite of her ice cream. "I'm pretty sure she was responsible for the other attack, too, and I'm pretty sure there are Authority handprints all over this."

"Who, Jory?"

She sighed. "It's Alexa Bliss."

"Alexa? I thought she was over on _SmackDown."_

"I thought so, too, but I'm sure Hunter and Stephanie have their plans here." Jory looked down at the ice cream. "Alexa and I were always kind of neck and neck in developmental. Hunter picked me for whatever reason, but if I didn't want to do what they had planned, they always drove home that Alexa was more than willing to do what it takes to make it. She was the one they always hung over my head."

"Wow."

"Yeah. I got a couple shots in, but the fight pretty much came to an end when I hit the car. It wasn't even that hard of a throw, but I must have hit the glass in just the right spot." She looked down at the white bandage. "At that point, the referees made it to us and all hell broke loose."

"I'm so sorry..."

"Don't. It's not your fault. But when I get my hands on her I'm going to rip her apart."

"I know you will." She ate another spoonful of ice cream. Shifting closer, she let her head rest on Seth's shoulder.

* * *

He looked over at her, and he could tell without seeing her face that she had fallen asleep. The movie was over; he had his suspicions that she had fallen asleep towards the end. Seth's lips pursed into a narrow line. He'd thought his time in The Authority had been tough; he didn't realize how unbearable it must have been for her. The manipulation, playing her against Alexa...it was a miracle she hadn't lost her mind when it was all said and done. But now there was a problem; Alexa was obviously going to be a presence on their roster, and it was clear she had plans to put Jory on the shelf. Jory would be off for the rest of the week for her arm, but he knew Jory wasn't going to take any more time than that. She had revenge to claim.

Seth shifted, removing his arm from around Jory's shoulders. Despite the hospital visit, his evening with her had been nice. His attempts to shift away from her were futile on this night, however; she stirred when his arm moved. "Seth?" she asked, her voice hazy with sleep.

"Hey. Just gonna move over to the couch."

"Don't." Seth sucked in a breath as she moved closer. "Stay. Please."

"Jory..."

"Just for tonight. I, uh, I could kind of use this."

"Okay," he said after a moment. They readjusted so they were comfortable against the pillows. Jory moved underneath his arm, resting her head on his chest and her heavily bandaged arm on his torso. "Jory..."

"You're really comfortable." It was the last thing she said to him; she was asleep quickly. For Seth, however, sleep didn't catch him that fast.


	25. Road to the Rumble

**Chapter 24:**

 **Road to the Rumble**

* * *

 _Last year I missed WrestleMania. This year I plan on going to the main event..._

After he sent the tweet out into the universe, Seth turned his head to look at Jory, who slept peacefully beside him. He had finally managed to fall asleep just after two, pulling her against him a bit more. It had been the best night's sleep he'd had in a long time, and he knew it had everything to do with her. He couldn't help but study every detail of her face and the way her hair fell. She slept on her side, her injured arm rested over the blanket and across her waist. Despite the events of the night before, she looked so serene. Seth shook his head. _Roman's right. It's amazing someone doesn't have their hooks into her by now,_ he thought to himself with a sigh. _I'm so far out of my fucking depth._

Seth's attention was yanked away when there was a knock at the door. He looked at the clock on the nightstand and saw it was almost half-past five. Pulling the blankets back, Seth got out of bed and made his way towards the door. Jory felt him move, and she stirred, her eyes opening.

"Seth?" she asked, her voice thick with sleep.

He turned to her and shrugged. Looking through the peep-hole, he sighed. "It's just Renee," he told her, opening the door. Renee was already dressed for her day, in blue jeans, a white shirt, and a denim jacket. She was in the room in a flash, making a beeline to the bed. She was kneeling on Seth's side in seconds, looking at the bandage on Jory's arm, her hazel eyes wide.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah. I'm okay. I'll be at _Raw_ tonight if that's what you're asking. There's a little thing with red and blonde hair that's going to get what's coming to her." Jory sat up, careful not to put weight on her injured arm. It still felt quite tender. Renee cocked her head to the side, her eyes narrowing.

"Are you telling me Alexa Bliss did this?"

"I am, and I'll bet my bottom dollar that she's acting on Authority orders."

"Oh my God, Jory." Renee looked at the bandage. "How are you feeling this morning?"

"I'm okay. There's no concussion, and luckily, the tests show there should be no nerve damage. But my arm..." She sighed. Her eyes left Renee and went to Seth, who was leaning on the wall by the luggage. "I need to change my bandages, and I need a Tylenol. My first aid kit is in the front part of the case."

"Gotcha." Seth quickly gathered what he needed while Jory pulled at the tape. Renee stayed on her knees, her feet off the bed, watching Jory unwrap the wound. She clapped a hand over her mouth when Jory pulled all the gauze away.

"Oh my God. That's your whole arm!" Renee exclaimed.

"Yeah. At least it wasn't my face." Jory looked up as Seth rounded the bed. He sat down in front of her, armed with her first aid kit. "Thanks."

"He wouldn't let me see you last night," Renee told her. Jory nodded.

"He told me. I know it was probably tough, but he was right. I kind of wasn't in the right place to see someone last night." She hissed as Seth began cleaning the wound with a wet wipe.

"You know what I learned last night?" Seth asked Renee. Jory shot him a wide-eyed look.

"Seth, don't you dare."

"What did you learn?" Renee asked, her tone almost giddy. She readjusted to sit properly on the bed, her feet on the floor. "I definitely want to hear this."

"Someone in this room is afraid of a little needle."

"Is that so?" Renee looked at her. "You don't have any tattoos?"

"Nope."

"Wow. I always thought you had one. Like, somewhere where nobody could see it. But I figured you had one."

"Did yours hurt?" Jory asked Seth. He shook his head.

"Nah. It's a little weird on the spinal column, but it's not as bad as you think it is. The wrist was nothing." Jory hissed again. "Sorry. I'm trying to be careful."

"I know. It's just...still really, really tender."

"That's incredible."

"I never heard her coming. She caught me so quick." Jory shook her head. "There's a pretty special beating with her name on it when I see her." Seth worked quietly on cleaning and redressing her wound. "My luck, I'll be kicked out of the arena tonight, and she'll have a private security room with her own security." She sighed. "I know all the tricks at this point. And there's going to be tricks. And probably a few twists, too."

"Why Alexa, though? I thought she was on _SmackDown_."

"Um...I learned last night that Jory and Alexa actually have kind of a rich history," Seth interjected. He held down the gauze with one hand while he began to wrap her arm. Jory had to admonish him not to wrap her too tightly. "Alexa was a bargaining chip."

"What do you mean?" Renee asked.

"It means that whatever I didn't want to do, Hunter always told me Alexa was willing to do it," Jory informed her. Renee shook her head in disgust. "It was a prime spot, and I was so new to this...once he'd mention her name, I'd just kind of fold and do it. I knew what he was doing, but I was too new to call his bluff."

"I'm sorry, Jory. I had no idea..."

"I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me. No matter the circumstances, I did the things I did. I have to own that. And it's taken a long time, but I'm slowly beginning to earn forgiveness, respect, and trust back." Seth continued to wrap her arm. Their eyes locked and he flashed her a reassuring smile.

"So you think Hunter and Stephanie brought in Alexa to put you on the shelf?" Renee asked.

"I'd bet everything I own on it. If it were anyone else, I'd have my doubts, but Alexa...this is their design."

"Has Hunter ever gotten back to you, Seth?" Renee asked. Seth shook his head.

"No. Something's going to give there soon, though. I can feel it." Renee held the bandage down gently so Seth could grab the tape. "He's got things he needs to answer for, too, and I'm not really going to drop it."

"I think they're afraid of you two," Renee told them.

"Probably. But they created this," Seth answered. "They created this with the way they treated Jory, and with the way they've been treating me since August. They've been asking for a dose of medicine for the longest time now, but nobody's been able to give it to them."

"Stephanie got Nikki to make sure Brie didn't get the drop on her," Jory recalled.

"The only ones who were close were Punk and Bryan, and it didn't end up working out for either of them," Seth said with a sigh. "I know Daniel's probably watching this from _SmackDown_ and living vicariously through me."

"I _know_ that's what he's doing," Renee told Seth. As a backstage interviewer, she worked both brands. "He said if anybody knows the tricks of their trade, it's going to be the two of you."


	26. Replaced

**Chapter 25:**

 **Replaced**

* * *

The _Raw_ General Manager's office was a barren but well-decorated space, with a TV mounted to the corner. It cast a faint red light. Positioned beside it was a plant. The walls were littered with WWE advertisements, including an ad for Mick's reality show on the WWE Network, _Holy Foley._ Mick was alone in his office, dressed in a red and black checkered suit. Christmas had long passed, but it wasn't a secret that Mick _really_ loved the holiday.

Without knocking, Seth walked into the General Manager's office, hair already wet. He was dressed in his ring gear, with his latest shirt. "Hey, Mick. You wanted to see me?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Mick nodded, taking a step towards him.

"Yeah, I did. Stephanie wanted me to let you know that tonight, you have a match against Sami Zayn."

Seth blinked, unable to hide the confusion on his face. Uncrossing his arms, he cocked his head to the side. "Why? Sami and I were a tag team just last week," Seth pointed out.

"It's not my idea, it's Stephanie's. She wants to play up the idea that it's every man for himself with the _Rumble_ coming up," Mick explained. It sounded like a flimsy excuse in both of their ears, but Seth let it slide. With a sigh, Mick's shoulders slouched. "There's more."

"There's always more when it comes to that woman. Spit it out."

"I need to preface this by saying I personally don't agree with this, but Stephanie McMahon is my boss." Seth looked at him wearily. "The stipulation is that if you lose tonight, then Sami will get your spot in the _Royal Rumble_ match. I'm sorry, Seth..."

"Nah. It's good. It's fine. I see what's going on here. So what? I'll beat Sami tonight, and then I'll go on to win the _Rumble_ and recapture the title I never lost at _WrestleMania_. And after I do that, I can throw all of this right back in their stupid faces. In hers, _and_ in that coward's she calls a husband." With that, Seth turned and left the office, almost slamming the door in his frustration. It shut heavily, and Mick released a sigh when he was sure that Seth was out of earshot.

Mick didn't blame Seth for being unhappy, but the reality was that the situation was completely out of his hands. He ran the show, but he still had to run things by Stephanie. Every week, the relationship between General Manager and Commissioner seemed to unravel more and more, and one of their biggest bones of contention was Seth. Mick constantly had to remind Stephanie that _she_ chose to draft him first, that _she_ chose to hand him every perk in his first month or two on the brand. Mick wasn't clueless; he knew that Stephanie was trying her best to shove Seth out of The Authority in favor of somebody new, and probably from NXT. Everyone thought it was going to be Kevin Owens because of what Hunter had done, but that seemed to be a dead-end. It left Mick wondering who Mick and Stephanie had resting in their back pockets.

Despite the rockiness of the first little bit, Mick liked Seth. He thought that Seth was going to be a reliable hand and a top-level talent for a long, long time. He'd been a fan of all the talent in the Shield, and when Seth branched out to be a singles wrestler, Mick had been impressed by his talent. Since coming back, he noticed that Seth had upped his game; the blond in his hair was gone, and he moved even better than he did before he had the reconstructive surgery. But at the end of the day, none of that seemed to be good enough for Hunter and Stephanie. He'd given everything to them until his body gave out, and now it seemed like they were ready to put him out to pasture once and for all.

* * *

With Sami laid out on the canvas, Seth scrambled over to the fallen Canadian to make the cover and win the match. He hadn't reached Sami's prone body when the lights turned green and the familiar riff of Motorhead blared through the arena speakers. The music suddenly made Seth alert, and he was on his feet quickly, his gaze moving to the stage. Everything was green now, from the video walls to the stage.

 _"Time to play the Game!"_

Seth hobbled towards the rope. Rubbing his face, he assumed his best fighting stance. _"Come on!"_ he shouted. Five months ago, Hunter had ripped Seth's dreams apart with his bare hands. For five long months, Hunter had gone radio silent, refusing to answer any of Seth's messages, phone calls, e-mails or tweets. Seth shifted, still waiting for Hunter to come out.

But nothing happened.

Nobody emerged from behind the curtain. Not Stephanie, not Hunter, nobody. Seth turned, expecting somebody to run into the ring to attack him from behind, but there was nothing still. Seth moved around Sami's prone body, waiting for something, anything to happen. It didn't take Seth long to realize that it had been a dirty underhanded trick, that nothing was going to happen.

"Oh, fuck this," Seth said, dismissing everything with a wave of his hand. Seth turned his attention back to Sami, who had been playing possum on the mat. With a roll-up pin, the referee counted three, and Hunter's entrance videos and music were replaced with Sami's.

Sami rolled out of the ring quickly, resting himself against the barricade. Seth was kneeling in the ring, stunned, his eyes wide and his jaw hanging. He couldn't believe it, but deep down, he knew he should have suspected it. Seth remained on his knees, every emotion running through him. _Motherfucking son of a..._

He looked at Sami, who looked absolutely exhausted. He wasn't angry at Sami, but his blood boiled at the stunt that cost him his spot in the _Royal Rumble_. It was impossible for Seth to ignore the fact that Hunter and Stephanie were now actively trying to make him fail. As angry as he was at losing his spot in the _Rumble_ , he realized there were other roads to _WrestleMania_. He just hoped his road would lead him right to Triple H.

* * *

Seth stormed backstage, breathing heavily, his eyes scanning the area for any sign of Mick Foley. He caught a guy on his cell phone and his blood boiled. "Where's he at, huh? Where's he at? Put that down." Seth slapped the phone out of the man's hand. It clattered to the floor, but Seth didn't stop to apologize or help. "Where's he at?" Seth's voice raised to a yell. " _Somebody knows something around here!"_ he accused. He huffed. "I want answers!"

"Seth!"

Seth turned to see Mick. He approached angrily. "What? What do you got for me? You got answers?"

 _"I did not know!"_ Mick yelled. "I know nothing about this. But Stephanie...I'm not saying it was Stephanie...but she, or obviously someone, was in touch with the production truck..."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah...You think it's production? I think it's a conspiracy!" he spat angrily. _"This has been my dream. He took away a year of my life! Somebody knows something around here..."_ Seth stormed away, ranting and raving.

"I swear I'll get down to the bottom of it!" Mick assured him. "I'm going to get answers."

He sighed as Seth turned the corner and disappeared from his view. Every week things seemed to be getting worse, and Mick was starting to realize that he didn't have a handle on any situation when Stephanie McMahon was in the same building.

"So, what kind of bullshit was _that?"_

With a sigh, Mick turned to see Jory standing behind him with a hand on her hip. She wasn't on the match card, thanks to the giant white bandage on her arm that was currently covered with a long-sleeved black sweater. "I'm trying to figure it out, Jordana."

"I'll talk to him." She looked down the hall and shook her head. "It might be for the best if I do it instead of you."

Mick studied her. He wondered what was going on between the two of them. But he nodded. "Yeah. That's probably for the best. Thank you."

She shook her head. "Poor Seth. He's got to be devastated."

"I didn't know anything," Mick insisted.

"I believe you." Mick was relieved.

"Thank you. How is your arm?"

"It's okay. But while we're on the subject, I'd like you to sign off on something for me, since I'll never get Stephanie to do it."

"Sure. What do you need?"

"I want a match at the _Royal Rumble_ against Alexa Bliss. I want her to pay for this." She held up her arm. "I want a street fight with Alexa Bliss at the _Royal Rumble_."

"You got it." Jory looked at Mick, her expression softening. She could see the job was beginning to really wear him down. There were also rumblings that he needed to get hip replacement surgery pretty quickly. "Are you going to be at TakeOver this weekend?" he asked.

"Of course. I wouldn't miss that for anything."

"Do you think we could meet after the show? Outside of things? I need to talk to you."

Suspicion flickered in Jory's eyes. "Yeah, sure. We can do that."

"Great."

"If you'll excuse me, though, I really should go look in on Seth."

"Yeah, do your thing." Jory left, moving down the hall in the direction Seth had gone. Mick sighed. "I need a vacation."

* * *

She found Seth pacing back and forth in the parking lot, shirtless, one hand on his hip and another one in his hair. As if he could sense her approaching, he turned to see her standing behind him, her arms crossed over her chest. "Hey," she greeted, a tight, bemused smile on her face. Seth quit pacing, both of his hands moving to his hips. "I'd ask how you're doing, but I think I have an idea."

"Did you see what happened out there?" Seth raged. She nodded.

"I did, and it's not right," she told him quickly. Seth huffed, pushing the hair out of his face. "Seth..."

"I had the _Rumble_ spot in my hands..."

"This isn't your fault, Seth."

"I just...I don't know what to do here," Seth said, holding his arms out. Jory surprised him by walking into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck. It only took a second for him to register what he had to do. He wrapped his arms around her waist. "I just..."

"This isn't the end of it. All roads lead to _WrestleMania._ You'll get there."

"You're coming with me," he promised. "Some way, somehow, you're coming with me."


	27. TakeOver

**Chapter 26:**

 **TakeOver**

* * *

Dressed in black slashed jeans, a red Strong Style Shinsuke Nakamura T-shirt and a black three-quarter-sleeved blazer, Jory checked her reflection in the mirror and grinned. It was her first time going to an NXT show, and she felt absolutely giddy to see what they were going to do. She'd watched plenty of specials on the Network, but it was a good chance for her to take in some great wrestling before her Street Fight in twenty-four hours. She looked down at her arm, at the scar that was still quite red, and sighed. Jory hoped the vitamin E would kick in soon and the redness and visibility of her scar would disappear.

Mick had contacted her to let her know that he would be stopping by her hotel room to talk before going to the arena. She was a little mystified as to why Mick suddenly needed to talk to her, and why it had to be done in private. Jory had confided her worries to Seth, who assured her that everything was going to be fine. Because of the meeting with Mick, Seth promised her that he would meet her at the show. He mentioned he was working on something, and she wondered if it had to do with his master plan. Even though they were separated at the hip, there was still a lot he wasn't telling her, and it left her wondering if he knew what he was doing.

Jory put her hair back in a high ponytail and worked a front bump into her style. With winged eyeliner and red lipstick, her look was complete. She couldn't help but wonder what Seth was planning to do. It was no secret that NXT was Hunter's baby, his pride, and joy. NXT was the future; Jory could see the pride on Hunter's face every time he spoke of it. For Seth to do anything on the show would be a clear shot across the bow. It would make his intentions known.

There was a loud knock on the door, and Jory left the bedroom area, not at all surprised to feel the butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She answered the door to find Mick on the other side, dressed casually in sweatpants, a black shirt, and his red plaid over-shirt. "Hey," she greeted, flashing him a smile. Mick smiled in return.

"Hey, Jordana. Thank you for meeting me away from everyone." She stood to the side, looking both ways down the hall to make sure nobody could see them together. Pulling back into the room, she turned to Mick. "You didn't tell anyone about this discussion, did you?" he asked.

"Just Seth, but I kind of tell him everything these days," she confessed, closing the door. He nodded, not at all surprised. He'd noticed that she was the Architect Whisperer, and wherever he seemed to be, she was close behind. "Did you want something to drink? I've got some water bottles in the fridge."

"I'm good, thanks," he told her. Mick walked over to the armchair and sat down. Jory grabbed herself a bottle of water before moving to the sofa to sit down across from Mick. "So I'm just going to spit it out, Jordana – I've heard some rumblings that _SmackDown Live_ is trying to make a play for you."

Jory blinked. "Where did you hear that?"

"I heard it from Rollins. He came to me a while back and told me that you'd gotten an offer." Jory sighed. "I know. He asked me not to tell you, but the reality is that I don't want to lose you. Now that I know what you can do, I don't want to see you head over to _SmackDown_. I know Seth doesn't..."

"With all due respect, but this isn't about Seth."

"I know. But he's right. You're talented, and I don't want to lose a great talent because of Stephanie's vendetta. Please don't get mad at Seth. He thinks he's doing the right thing, and I think we both know that." Jory nodded. "I know that things have been less than ideal with Stephanie at the helm, but Seth is adamant that I fight to keep you, and I agree with him. So, tell me what do I do here to keep you on _Raw_?"

"Mick, you know the answer to that isn't something you can give me."

He sighed. "Then what do I do to keep you on _Raw_ for the interim? How do I keep you here and happy?"

"What are you willing to do, Mick? Because I don't want to keep shutting you down."

"I can do anything you want. Well, with the exception of firing Stephanie. That won't happen." Jory nodded. "We both know that no matter what I do, I'm probably not going to have this gig by _WrestleMania_ , so we may as well just go all in on this and let the chips fall where they fall."

"Mick..."

"It's fine, Jordana. I've accepted it. I need surgery on my hip anyway, so it will end up working out in the end."

"I don't want to see you lose your job."

"It won't have anything to do with you, Jordana. Stephanie's already tired of me. We know how this works." As sad as it was, Jory understood completely. She nodded, her gaze sympathetic. "So, pick a term, any term."

"I want a new theme song." It was out of her mouth so quickly that Mick had to laugh.

"I'll talk to CFO$ and see what we can do." Jory shook her head.

"I have one. I want it licensed." Mick grinned.

"You're going to play hardball."

"If you can't sign off on this without Stephanie, I will go to Shane and Daniel."

"Don't you worry about that. I've got ways around Stephanie." Jory nodded. "What else?"

"What can you tell me about Stephanie's contract?"

"What do you mean?"

"Mick, you oversee everyone's contracts. What is Stephanie's contract like? What can I work with here?"

"She has two." Jory's face crinkled with confusion. "Stephanie has an executive contract..." Jory's eyes widened as it dawned on her what he was going to tell her. "...And a talent contract," he finished.

"Mick."

"Are you going to ask me what I think you're going to ask me?"

"You know what I'm going to ask you, Mick. And I don't know what you have to do, but I need you to make it happen. I'll put up everything for this shot. If you can do that for me, I'll call Shane and Daniel and tell them I'm staying."

* * *

" _Show's called TakeOver, right?_ Well, I'm taking this bitch over! _"_

The crowd went _insane_ at the sight of Seth in the middle of the ring, dressed in black with a Blackcraft hoodie and black pants, holding the microphone as he paced around the ring frantically. "The funny thing is this is where it all started, and I know, _I know_ , you are back there, you are watching this. You can see everything." He walked to where the hard camera was located and pointed. "So I am calling your ass out, _right now_ , Triple H. Come on." Seth was vibrating with anger, the microphone shaking in his hands. "Let's do this then!"

Seth removed the microphone from his lips and turned his attention to the stage. Approaching the ropes, he held his arms out. The crowd reaction had yet to die down, cheers turning to boos when they realized that Hunter wasn't going to come out and take Seth up on his offer. Seth stepped back towards the middle of the ring. Running his hand through his hair, he put the microphone to his lips once again.

" _You think I'm playing around_?" he shouted. " _This is not a game!_ You took my life from me! Now you get out here! I'm not leaving this ring until you come out here and _make me_."

Seth almost couldn't believe what he was seeing when Hunter walked out, dressed in a grey suit with a black button-down shirt. Hunter didn't hold a microphone in his hand. Throwing down the microphone, Seth unzipped his hoodie and threw it to the canvas. His shirt quickly followed. Around them, the crowd was chanting "Holy shit". Seth motioned for Hunter to get into the ring to face him.

Hunter took a few steps forward. The crowd remained red-hot for the confrontation. Then Hunter turned to the side, held his arm out and motioned with his fingers. Cheers turned to boos as security guards, all dressed in black, made their way down the ramp towards Seth. Hunter left the stage, not exchanging a single word with the man he had once proclaimed to be the future of the sport.

Seth pointed at the three security guards. "Back up. You'd better back up," he threatened darkly. "You back up."

Each security guard took a place on a side of the ring. The irony wasn't lost on Seth; it was how he, Dean, and Roman had used strength in numbers to their advantage for a long time. But these weren't wrestlers part of a well-oiled machine; they were San Antonio security guards. Seth dispatched them quickly and then got out of the ring to make his way to the back. But Hunter had more tricks up his sleeves.

Seth was able to dispatch two more security guards on the ramp simply by knocking them over. But then he was rushed by five guards who were able to subdue him. Seth struggled against them, keeping his eyes on the stage. _"Come on!"_ Seth challenged. He struggled against the guards while the crowd chanted, "let him go!"

Referees were out to redirect Seth, refusing to allow security to take him out through the production area, where Hunter would be seated, running the show. From her front-row spot, Jory watched, shaking her head. Seth had put up a good fight, but in the end, the numbers won. But she knew despite this perceived failure, Seth had won. He had Hunter's attention now, for better or for worse.

* * *

"I bet you're real proud of yourself."

Seth turned around to see Mick approaching, holding Seth's hoodie and T-shirt. He handed the clothing back to Seth, who thanked him. "I got his attention, didn't I?" Seth cracked with a laugh, sliding his T-shirt back on. "He can't ignore me forever. If he thinks he can, then he's an idiot, and we both know that's not the case." Mick nodded.

"Just be careful, okay? You don't know Hunter the way that I do."

"I know him well enough," Seth retorted, putting his hoodie back on and zipping it up. "I know him well enough to know that this was the place where he'd be most likely to acknowledge me," he pointed out. He stuffed his hands into his pockets. "One way or another, I'll make Hunter pay."

"That's great, Seth, but you remember what he did to Roman? He shattered his face. You remember what he did to Daniel Bryan while Bryan was handcuffed? The sledgehammer shots. Don't underestimate him," Mick advised Seth. "The second you underestimate him, he'll show you he's got plenty of tricks up his sleeve."

"I'm the Architect, Mick. You don't think I don't know that?" he asked. "You don't think I haven't seen the things that Hunter's done? I'm ready for Hunter."

"If you say so, Seth. Just be careful." Seth nodded.

"I appreciate that, Mick. Don't worry about me, though. I've got a plan." Mick nodded. Seth excused himself, turning and leaving the arena. He was going to get the car ready to pick up Jory when the show finally came to an end since it was clear he wouldn't be allowed back into the arena to see the rest of the show.

* * *

"You're awfully quiet tonight," Seth observed, sitting down beside her on the bed. They were back at her hotel room and Seth's adrenaline was still spiked from his TakeOver experience. He examined her, cocking his head to the side. "Are you okay?"

"Seth, why did you have to go and talk to Mick?" she asked. "I told you I didn't want anyone finding out."

"Stephanie wasn't there when I talked to him if that's what you're worried about," Seth assured her.

"Why did you do that?" she asked.

"Selfishly? Because I don't want to lose you to _SmackDown_."

"Seth..."

"Whatever Stephanie tells you is bullshit. You belong here." _With me._ "You've got so much unfinished business here. And Stephanie is at the top of that mountain. You know it, and I know it. And if there's any way that Mick can get you that match..." Jory sighed.

"I don't know if he can," Jory confessed. "I'd like to see him try. But I don't have a hope that he can."

"If anyone can do it, it's Mick." Seth looked down at his hands. "I'm sorry if I made things worse. I didn't want to do that. I just...I want to help."

"I know you do," she told him with a sigh. "And apparently, both of you can hold a secret. Mick says you talked to him a while ago."

"I did." He shook his head. "I'm sorry. It wasn't my place."

Seth was surprised when she leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder. "It's fine. Like I'm going to stay mad at you. But you owe me a pint of ice cream."

"I think I can handle that." He rested his head on top of hers. "I mean it, though. I'm sorry if it made things worse."

"Everything is fine. I promise. Mick's easy to talk to. I'm just worried about what's going to happen if Stephanie catches word of what we're doing."


	28. Royal Rumble

**Chapter 27:**

 **Royal Rumble**

* * *

Wrapping her wrists in black tape, Jory studied her reflection in the full-length mirror at the back of the women's locker room. Her shirt was black, with Catwoman on the front with the purple Hell Here font. It was cut deep on the chest, enough to show off her assets, the neck almost halter style. The shirt was also cut and tied at the bottom to bare her midriff. Black vinyl shorts with fishnet stockings, knee-pads and boots completed her look. Her hair was done in a French braid that fell down her back. When she finished wrapping her hand, she jumped from foot to foot, shaking out her arms, trying to get herself into the zone. The scar on her arm was still quite red, but it wasn't going to be a factor in the fight.

It was no secret that Stephanie was livid about the street fight, but everyone knew it was going to be put up or shut up time for Alexa. Stephanie wasn't going to get personally involved in the fight; she was going to stand back and watch what Alexa could do. Alexa needed to prove that Hunter and Stephanie made the right decision when it came to backing her over Jory. It wasn't something that Jory thought Alexa could prove.

The door to the locker room opened. Jory turned to see Nia walk in. She turned back to the mirror, taking in the smoky eye-shadow and nude gloss. _Garage glamorous_ was the first words she could think of, a line from "Paparazzi". She thought it was the only way to describe how she looked. "Hey," Nia greeted. Jory turned again. Nia could see that Jory was in the zone already. Jory nodded.

"Hey."

"You are looking hot tonight," Nia observed, inspecting every detail of Jory's outfit. "Have you seen Seth yet?"

Jory shook her head. "He's not here tonight." Nia shot her a confused look.

"What do you mean he's not here?"

"He's been banned from the arena. Thanks to his little stunt at TakeOver last night, Stephanie and Hunter hired extra security to patrol the perimeter so he can't get in here. This place is wound up tighter than a stopwatch." Jory quit jumping from foot to foot and sighed, her shoulders slouching.

"How's your arm?" Nia asked.

"It's not a factor." She sighed. Jory wasn't about to say it out loud, but she wished Seth was with her to give her a pep talk before she walked through the curtains. "Alexa isn't going to know what hit her."

"If he's not here, you know Seth is going to be watching."

"I'm going to stop listening to you now," Jory said with a roll of her eyes.

"I'm going to keep asking – what's up with the two of you?"

"Nothing's up. We're just...kind of in this together." Nia examined Jory.

"You're into him."

"Can we stay on topic, please? I don't want to hear about this going into a street fight with the woman that did _this_ to my arm. I'd like to stay in the zone." Nia nodded and sighed; Jory had won this round.

"Fine. I'll save the Rollins talk until _Raw_ tomorrow." Jory rolled her eyes. "Good luck out there. Give the little bitch what she's got coming to her."

"That's not going to be a problem." She shook her head. "Tonight, I show The Authority why it was a huge mistake to write me off."

* * *

The dub-step entrance music of Alexa Bliss blared through the arena loudspeakers. She came out, dressed in her _Nightmare on Elm Street_ inspired gear. It was obvious she wasn't happy about having to compete in a street fight, but she did her entrance as if nothing was wrong. She got into the ring and began to pace on the canvas, waiting for her opponent.

Jory's techno music blared through the speakers, and she was surprised to hear the crowd ignite at the sound of it. She emerged through the curtain, holding a kendo stick in her hand. Alexa glowered at her in the ring; Jory returned the glare. She walked down the ramp. Alexa slid out of the ring and ran at her, but Jory swung the kendo stick like a baseball bat and took her down to the ramp. Jory hit her over and over again with the kendo stick until it splintered and was rendered useless. The skin on Alexa's exposed back was raised and welted, but Jory paid it no mind as she grabbed her by the hair and dragged her down the ramp.

She slammed Alexa into the ring apron. Her face bounced off the canvas and she crumpled to the floor. Jory found herself almost disappointed; she'd expected Alexa to put up a little bit more of a fight. Grabbing Alexa by the hair once more, she threw her into the ring. While Alexa lay on the canvas with a hand on her face, Jory was underneath the ring, throwing weapons over the top rope. Alexa curled into the fetal position when a garbage can hit her.

Sliding into the ring, Jory stood tall over Alexa, staring down at her fallen attacker with a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. "You're not so big," Jory taunted, kicking her in the side. Alexa rolled onto her stomach and attempted to crawl towards the corner, but Jory was on her, grabbing her by the hair and lifting her head back, just to slam it to the mat. Jory left Alexa to grab a steel chair.

It was all the time Alexa needed. When Jory returned and attempted to swing the chair, Alexa propped herself up and kicked it out of Jory's hands. The tide was suddenly in Alexa's favor as Jory was taken down to the ground and pummelled, Alexa screaming incoherently the entire time. The referee was on Alexa, admonishing her about the closed fists. Standing, Alexa turned her vitriol onto the referee. "Back off. I know what I'm doing," she told him, holding up her hand in his face. She went back to Jory and kicked her in the ribs. While Jory was trying to catch her breath, Alexa did her Insult to Injury handspring, driving her knees into Jory's midsection, knocking the breath out of her further.

Alexa grabbed Jory by the hair and dragged her to the ropes, positioning her over the bottom. She stood on Jory's back and pulled back the rope as hard as she could, choking Jory in the process. Alexa posed and grinned while the referee urgently counted to five beside her. Alexa released her hold on four and Jory hit the canvas, sputtering and coughing. Alexa strutted around the ring, tossing a strand of hair over her shoulder. After weathering the initial storm, she suddenly felt confident.

Moving to the top rope, Alexa looked to end the fight early. Setting herself for the Twisted Bliss, Alexa launched herself but found nothing. Jory rolled out of the ring, hitting the ground with a _thud_ on the thin mats. Both women lay in their spots, trying to catch their breath. Jory's hand moved underneath the ring apron, looking for some kind of weapon. Rolling onto her side, she slid her other hand under the ring, grabbing something cool and metal. _The fire extinguisher is here_ , she thought to herself.

Alexa grabbed her by the hair to pull Jory back into the ring. Grabbing the first thing she could, knowing the extinguisher wouldn't be feasible at that moment, Jory produced a kendo stick and rammed it up into Alexa's chin. Alexa released Jory and fell backward to the mat. Jory landed on a knee outside the ring. Rushing back into the ring, Jory ran at Alexa, swinging the stick. Alexa crawled backward quickly, putting herself underneath the middle rope. Jory advanced, but the referee stopped her.

"Back up. Don't make me tell you again, Jordana," Chad Patton told her. Throwing her stick down, Jory backed up, hands in the air. She looked at Alexa, taking in the fear in her eyes. _You made this bed._

The referee backed away and Jory went towards Alexa. Moving swiftly, Alexa hit Jory with a drop toe hold. Jory put her arms out to brace the fall and smacked herself on the rope. Her injured arm throbbed. Alexa gave her no time to think, as she was on Jory, grabbing her by the back of the head and mashing her face into the canvas. With one last slam, Alexa backed off Jory, moving over to where the kendo stick had fallen. She swung it, setting herself up like a baseball player before bringing it down on Jory's spine.

Jory yelped at the pinching sensation on her spine and the sting of the cane. Alexa was merciless, hitting Jory over and over until she was screaming on the mat. Then she was on Jory, sitting on her back, choking her with the cane. Jory grabbed the rope, but Alexa still held on until the referee counted to four. She backed off Jory, who coughed and sputtered once more on the canvas. She felt Alexa's grip on her ankle, pulling her and rolling her over for the cover.

 _"One. Two..."_

Jory's shoulder shot up and the crowd let out a collective sigh of relief. Alexa was furious. She tried to pin again and received another two count. Then, she was up and arguing with the referee. Jory moved slowly but rolled Alexa up for a count of two. Rolling through, Alexa went for a kick, but Jory caught her ankle.

Raising to her feet, pulling Alexa's leg up higher, Alexa bounced, her arms out, begging Jory to have mercy on her. Instead, Jory kicked her leg out from under her. Turning Alexa onto her back, Jory locked in the Mood Ring.

The crowd cheered. They were waiting to see Alexa tap out. While Jory kept the hold locked, Alexa used her free hand to reach for anything. Grabbing the kendo stick, Alexa swung backward, hitting Jory in the face. After a few swats, Jory released the hold by buckling onto Alexa. Crawling towards the ropes, Alexa grabbed it with her free hand and tried to pull herself to her feet. Both women were exhausted.

Jory propped herself up on her hands, looking up in time to see Alexa running at her, ready to kick her head clean off her shoulders. Jory rolled out of the way in the nick of time, rolling Alexa up. The momentum took her right through and she hit Alexa with the super kick. Alexa fell back to the canvas. Jory buckled to a knee. She knew the kick wasn't going to put Alexa away.

Moving to the edge of the ring, Jory picked up the garbage can. Walking over to Alexa's stirring frame, Jory threw it down on Alexa's back, bringing her back down to the mat. She picked up the garbage can and walked over Alexa, to the other side of the ring, where she set up the garbage can against the corner between the top and middle rope. She grabbed Alexa by the hair and brought her to her feet. Going for an Irish Whip, Alexa reversed. Jory reversed as well, sending Alexa back first into the garbage can. Alexa hit the canvas yelling, her legs moving like she was having a tantrum. Jory took a few steps back and tried to catch her breath.

Then she ran at Alexa. She went for a dropkick, but Alexa rolled out of the ring. Jory felt a sharp bolt of pain up her legs as she hit the ring post feet first. Alexa was on her like a shark smelling blood, grabbing her leg and smashing her against the ring post. Jory screamed in pain as her knee bone bounced off the steel. She tried to scramble back, but Alexa held on as best she could. She slammed Jory's knee into the post again. Jory screamed again. She grabbed the rope further ahead as Alexa tried to pull on her leg. With all the strength she could muster, Jory pushed herself backward, drawing Alexa into the post. Jory tried to crawl towards the middle of the ring. Her knee felt swollen. Turning onto her back, Jory tried to remove her knee pad to alleviate some of the pressure, but Alexa was already back in the ring. She was on Jory's knee, hitting with punch after punch.

The referee forced her to back up. Jory held her knee in pain. Chad was by her side in seconds. "Do you want to stop? I can call the match..."

"No. _Hell_ no." He backed off. Alexa came for her again, and Jory tried to back away. Reaching the ropes, Jory tried to push herself away, but Alexa grabbed her sore knee. Jory pulled herself up, pulling her legs back and shoving Alexa off her as hard as she could. It was a tenuous hold on the top rope, and Jory ended up going over the top, hitting the apron and hitting the floor in an ugly spill. She felt her shoulder throb. "Fuck."

She reached underneath the ring for some kind of weapon to brandish. Every muscle in her body ached. Alexa was between the ropes, reaching down to grab at Jory. Rolling onto her back, Jory pointed the fire extinguisher straight up at Alexa's face and fired. She turned her head to avoid a direct shot to the face, but Alexa wasn't so lucky. Alexa stumbled backward and fell on her butt in the middle of the ring. Jory put the extinguisher down beside her and pulled herself up as quickly as she could. Sliding into the ring, she grabbed the lid to the garbage can and swung it with all the force she could muster, hitting Alexa in the face.

With a defeated sigh, knowing it was going to hurt her just as much, Jory rolled Alexa onto her back and locked in the Mood Ring once again. The effect this time was different; Alexa tapped out quickly, much to the relief of Jory, who buckled and rolled away from Alexa.

 _"Here is your winner – Jordana Moody!"_

The crowd roared. Chad held her hand up from the ground. "How's your knee?" he asked her.

"I can walk out of here. No assistance needed," Jory promised him. She rolled underneath the ring rope. She winced as she put weight down on her leg. But she was okay. Midway up the ramp, she turned to see the referee helping an angry Alexa to her feet. Jory turned and walked up the ramp, stopping for a moment to pose for the fans and remind Alexa that she had been their princess first.

Walking backstage, she spotted Stephanie sitting with her father. Stephanie looked up at Jory and glowered. With a smirk, Jory walked past, through the curtain, and into the backstage area.

* * *

"Get in, loser. We're heading up to your room."

Jory stopped in her tracks, staring at the luggage cart in front of her. "You're not suggesting what I think you're suggesting," she told him with a dry laugh. The look in his eyes told her that Seth was dead serious. "I'm not that hurt."

"You're limping pretty bad. Just get on."

"I'm pretty sure hotel policy..." she started, but the front desk agent, a young man named Tim interjected.

"Don't care, really. I've seen people do worse with these." Jory shook her head and laughed.

"Put your bag on the one side and sit down. I'll take you up to your room."

"You are the worst."

"You're stalling. Get off that leg. We've got _Raw_ tomorrow." Seth reached through and grabbed her bag, positioning it on the end. With a sigh, knowing there was no way out of the argument, she sat down on the luggage rack and put her legs up. She winced as her knee stretched out. Seth changed position and began wheeling her down the hallway towards the elevator. Jory clapped a hand over her face, feeling the red-hot burn of embarrassment.

Inside the elevator, Jory couldn't help but laugh. "I can't believe we're really doing this."

"I can't believe you still think arguing with me gets you anywhere," he said with a laugh. She rolled her eyes. The elevator doors slid open and Seth rolled her out into the hallway. She was thankful it was an empty area, that nobody could see her like this. Reaching into her pocket, she handed Seth her key-card. He stopped in front of the door and opened it, propping it with her suitcase.

He leaned down. "Put your arm around me."

"Seth..."

"You know how this is going to end up. Just do it." With a sigh, she draped her arm over his shoulders. She hissed when he put his arm underneath her knees. He lifted her, bridal style, walking into the room with her. She looked around the room, at the flowers on the nightstand and the bottle of wine with two glasses on the nightstand.

"What is this?" she asked. He placed her on the bed.

"I set up a little 'congratulations' package with the desk. There are ice packs and ice cream in the freezer, too. I'll be right back. I'm just going to take the cart downstairs. I'll be right back." Taking her key, he left her on the bed. She took off her sneakers and dropped them on the floor beside the bed before she leaned back on the pillows with a loud sigh.

It felt good to put her feet up, to relax after the battle. She knew that Stephanie couldn't be happy; the woman they'd hand-picked to replace Jory – the second attempt after Nikki Bella failed to work out – had failed. There were a few times Jory thought it wouldn't work out in the end for her, but somehow she had pulled out the win. She'd made Alexa tap out. She'd inflicted some measure of payback on her for the scar on her arm. It wasn't enough, sure, but it was only the beginning. Alexa was only the first roadblock to get past on her quest to Stephanie McMahon, but she was going to have some fun making Alexa pay for her decisions.

The door opened and Seth was back, kicking his shoes off at the entrance. "That was a hell of a fight, Jory."

"You don't have to tell me. I lived it." Seth went to the freezer and got her an ice pack.

"Head's up." He tossed it to her and she caught it, pulling up her pant leg to place the ice pack underneath her knee. She groaned and winced when it made contact, but she adjusted and sat back on the bed. "How's your shoulder? That was an ugly spill you took over the rope."

"It's okay. It's a little sore, but not like the knee. I felt it _rattle_."

"Wow." He sat down on the bed beside her. "I bet you'd be awesome in a bar fight."

Jory laughed. "Oh, God, no. Did you watch the same fight I just had? Alexa had my number a few times."

"I cringed when you hit her with that trashcan lid. Holy shit, the force behind it."

"She earned that."

"I'm not arguing it." He reached over and grabbed the wine bottle.

"I didn't see you as a wine guy," she told him. He laughed.

"I'm not. I, uh, actually had to ask around and see what people recommended." He shot her a look. "I had nothing better to do tonight, okay?" He opened the bottle and poured two glasses. "I knew you were going to win tonight, and I knew that you were probably going to need a drink afterward. Was I wrong?"

"No."

"Am I ever wrong...?"

"Don't push your luck." Seth laughed.

"Here's to getting back at Alexa Bliss."

"I'm with that," Jory said with a laugh, clinking her glass with his. They took a sip. "What is up for your night?"

"If it's cool, I thought I'd hang out with you."

"Of course it is." She sighed. "I might not be the best company, though. I'm pretty beat up."

"You're just fine," he assured her. He looked at her knee. "How serious is it?"

"It'll be fine, I promise. I'd be surprised if I was still feeling it at _Raw_ tomorrow." She sipped her wine. "They were hard shots, but not hard enough. But if I'd hit Bad Mood Rising on her, I think we'd be in a different boat." She sighed. "You should have seen the look Steph gave me backstage. Thank God looks can't kill, because my ass would be underground."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I gave her a smile and left." Seth laughed. "If Mick could find a way for me to get this match with her at _WrestleMania..._ " She shook her head. "I don't think he can. I shouldn't get my hopes up like that."

"Don't count Mick out," Seth assured her.

"Working on it." With a sigh, she placed her wine glass on the nightstand before she grabbed the ice pack. Seth watched her swing her legs over the bed and stand. He could see it bothered her to put weight on her left leg. She moved slowly, holding onto the bed as a brace. He suspected her leg was a little worse than she was letting on, but he knew the fact that she could put pressure on it even a little meant that she wasn't lying, that she would be okay.

He was proud of her. She'd shown some quick thinking. Over the past few months he'd come to learn that Jory Moody was tough as nails and often underestimated, but tonight had driven the point home. She was tired of being pushed around and swept under the rug. Somewhere along the way, a fire had been lit inside of her, and it had been something to see. It had kept his fire burning during the darker times. They kept each other motivated, kept each other composed. It was something he hadn't felt since his days with The Shield, the feeling of a bond.

"Jory, what are you doing?" he asked her, getting off the bed. She was moving so slowly he was sure the bag was going to be melted by the time she made it to the fridge. "Get back on the bed. I'll put it back."

"Seth, I'm not an invalid..."

"I never said you were. But you're clearly hurt and the best call would be to stay off that leg."

"Seth, I'm..." She took a step and buckled. Seth caught her quick, his arm wrapping around her waist. She ended up against him, her hands on his chest to brace herself. He had to admit that it was a great feeling. It was like she belonged there, like she was made for this. She looked up at him, and he gripped her a bit tighter. "Seth..."

Before she could say anything more, his mouth covered hers.


	29. The Nail in the Coffin

**Chapter 28:**

 **The Nail in the Coffin**

* * *

In hindsight, it had been nothing short of a well-executed set-up.

Jory had arrived at the arena alone, uncomfortable in her own skin and hiding away in her oversized Blackcraft hoodie. It had been an awkward morning with Seth. Sure, she had her feeling that things were developing with him, but she had been burned too many times by misplacing her trust. When the fight was over, what would it mean for them? Was he only attracted to her because they were fighting the same battles? Seth had wanted to talk, but Roman had called, wanting to go for breakfast and a workout. She'd promised him they could talk later; she needed some time to think.

"Hey, Jory. Hold up."

Turning, she saw Renee, dressed in a black sequined romper and a denim jacket. "Hey, Renee. What's going on?"

"Mick wants to see you in his office. Seth's already there."

"Did he say what it was about?" she asked. Renee shook her head.

"No, but it's probably something to do with the show tonight." She gave Jory a once-over. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

"You look a little...off."

"Well, I'm good. I'll go put my bag in the locker room and head over to Mick's office." Renee nodded and went back to talking with Corey Graves. Jory went inside the arena, greeting everyone with a smile and an awkward wave on her way to the locker room. She opened the door to the locker room wide enough to put her bag against the wall and then she was off to Mick's office.

Mick and Seth were waiting for her, the two men turning to see her as she walked into the room. Seth smiled at her, feeling nervous when she didn't return it. "Hey," she said, stopping in place beside Seth. "Renee said that you wanted to see me."

"I did. I wanted to see both of you," Mick told them. "I got a text from Stephanie McMahon earlier today, and she wants to close the show with a mixed tag team match. I thought it sounded like a great idea, so I've signed off on it. So tonight, it is going to be you, Jordana, and you, Seth, against the team of Kevin Owens and Alexa Bliss. How does that sound?"

"Well..."

"It sounds great," Seth announced. Jory couldn't help but catch his enthusiasm. She smiled. When Mick looked at her, she quickly nodded in agreement.

"Great. Kill it out there tonight, you two."

"We will," Seth promised. Jory was already out of the office. He followed behind her quickly.

"Jory, hold up." She turned to Seth, crossing her arms over her chest. "Hey. Can we talk?"

"Seth..."

"Did I misread things last night? I thought..."

"Can we talk about this after the show?" she asked softly. Seth shot her a look. "I'm not trying to blow you off, okay? I promise. But Kevin Owens and Alexa Bliss are kind of tough on their own, never mind together. I just...I need to stay focused, okay? After this, we'll go and get some ice cream and we'll hash everything out."

"Just...tell me I haven't misread things. I only did this..."

"Seth. After the show. Please," she pleaded. He nodded.

"Okay. After the show." He held up his fist. "We got this."

"We totally got this," she told him with a grin, bumping fists. After that, they separated, Jory to get into her gear and get her hair and makeup done, while Seth was going to the trainer's room to stretch out.

* * *

Hunter rubbed his eyes with his free hand, incredibly chagrined. "I have been trying _so_ _hard_ not to be that guy anymore. I am trying _so hard_ not to be that guy that ends careers and crushes dreams, and injures people and doesn't give a _crap_ about anybody or what anybody thinks. I am trying _so hard_ not to be that guy anymore, to be something more. So every day I put on this suit, and every day I tie this stupid tie, and I go to the office, and every day I try to put that behind me and I try to be a _creator_. I try to create something more for everybody here. And then a guy like Seth Rollins decides he wants to come to NXT.

"Seth Rollins wants to come to where I am trying to create, where quite honestly, I am trying to create the next _Seth Friggin' Rollins_.

"So I am done trying. I am so... _done...trying."_ The chatter of the crowd turned into cheers as Hunter took off his dark grey business jacket. He tossed it to the canvas. " _You want me so bad, Rollins? Then I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."_

Backstage, Seth was gone in a flash. Dressed in her ring gear with a cut up and modified version of Seth's T-shirt for her match, Jory shot a quick look at Renee before she followed after him. "Seth, this is what he wants! What are you doing?" she shouted after him. He was far faster than she was, already up the stairs and heading towards the curtain by the time she made it to Gorilla. His music played through the arena speakers and she burst through the curtain, rushing after him. She touched his arm. "Don't fall for it, Seth. He has you right where he wants you. You don't think he doesn't have a plan? He always has a _Plan B_."

"You should listen to her, Seth," Hunter mocked. "Go back there and _remember your place_."

Rage flickered in Seth's eyes, and he was moving down the ramp quickly. Jory followed slowly behind him, a bemused expression on her face. At the bottom of the ramp, Seth stopped, staring at Hunter in the ring. Turning his head to the left, he had no time to brace for the man who ran at him, clubbing him in the side of the head with his forearm and taking Seth down to the ground.

It was almost in slow motion for Jory, who froze just over halfway down the ramp. Right away she realized that Kevin Owens had been nothing but a red herring in The Authority's master plan. The real man Hunter planned to throw his weight behind was Joe, and it was a chilling realization. While Kevin was resourceful, he was still a bit of a chicken at heart. Joe was cutthroat and ruthless. He didn't care about the well-being of anyone but himself. His main goal was to incapacitate and destroy. With Seth down on the ground, Joe stood over him, dressed in a dark T-shirt and jeans, grinning down at Seth's prone body. From where she stood, Jory could see nothing but bad intentions in his beady brown eyes.

Hunter got out of the ring on the right side and walked towards the ramp. Locking eyes with Joe, he pointed to the ring. "Get his ass in there," Hunter barked. He turned his attention to Jory, who felt every nerve vibrate under his glare. "I'll deal with her."

Jory wanted to move, but she was frozen in place. Joe was throwing Seth into the ring when Hunter grabbed her. She tried to break out of his grip, but he was too strong. He ended up dragging her down the ramp, pulling her into him so he could wrap both arms around her. He was impressed; she had a lot of fight in her. But it wasn't going to do her a lick of good, and they both knew it. There was nothing Jory could do to help Seth or herself, and it hit her like a ton of bricks. She knew that nothing good was going to come out of the situation; the only question was going to be how bad was it really going to get.

Hunter lifted her awkwardly and shoved her underneath the bottom rope. Joe had Seth in a sleeper hold. Seth struggled, but Joe outweighed him. Moving into the ring quick, Hunter grabbed Jory, holding her against him tightly. He looked at Joe and gave him a curt nod. Joe locked in the Coquina Clutch.

Right away Jory could see the way Seth's knee bent on the way down. The second his scream hit her ears, she knew that his knee was hurt once again. She could see the pain in his eyes. His face was getting red from lack of oxygen. She struggled more against Hunter - she wanted to help Seth so badly - but Hunter held her in place.

Hunter looked down at his fallen protege and smirked at the redness on his face. The more Seth struggled, the more he cut off his own air supply. "Once again you make everything so much worse for yourself, Rollins!" Hunter shouted with a laugh. His fingers dug into the crooks of Jory's elbows, and she winced, biting back a cry. Right away, Hunter could see the change in Seth's eyes; the contempt, disgust, fear, and concern that flickered all at once. He cocked his head to Jory, unable to keep the surprise off his face.

 _Is that...Could they be...Oh, how sweet_. Hunter snorted derisively. He let go of one of Jory's arms. He looked down at Seth. "I want you to watch this," he told him.

With that, he spun Jory and kicked her in the stomach.

She hit the canvas on all fours, sputtering and struggling to breathe. It had knocked the wind completely out of her. Before she could even catch her breath, she felt her arms get pulled behind her, hooked. His thighs were like a vice around her head. She struggled, but she knew it was no good. She was about to be on the receiving end of a Pedigree while Seth watched, helpless.

The last thing Seth Rollins saw before his world faded to black was Jory hitting the canvas face-first.


	30. Still Unbroken

**Chapter 29:**

 **Still Unbroken**

* * *

 _"Disconnect and self-destruct one bullet at a time. What's your rush now, everyone will have their day to die."_

Jory killed the ignition in the parking lot of the hospital and went into her purse for some change to pay for parking. It was late, and the parking lot was empty, with the exception of about a dozen cars. It was dead quiet and eerie, but Jory was too distracted to notice. Once she had the ticket on her dash, she got out of the car, locking it with the button on her key-chain. She was still in her ring gear, with her giant Blackcraft hoodie unzipped over it. As she walked towards the glass doors leading to the emergency, Jory focused on her movements, and not on the splitting headache or the pain between her shoulder blades and the boot-shaped bruise forming on her abdomen.

It had taken her a while to figure out where the company was sending its injured talent. When she had come to in the trainer's room, everyone on the medical staff had crowded her and frustrated her. She had asked for Seth, asked about him, but had only been greeted with orders to stay down. They only made her angry. Once she got the information she needed, she was off the trainer's table and heading towards the women's locker room to grab her things. She could shower and change at the hotel. There were more pressing matters.

She walked through the sliding glass doors and made a beeline to the nurse's station. The nurse was a young woman in blue scrubs who looked fresh out of medical school, a young woman in her mid-twenties with burgundy hair and hazel eyes that looked exhausted. She looked up from her computer screen. "Can I help you?" she asked. Jory nodded.

"Yeah. I'm looking for my boyfriend. His name is Seth Rollins. He was brought in here with a knee injury..."

"He's on his way to X-ray..." Jory didn't wait for her to finish. She was down the hallway in a flash, walking through the arch and stopping to look at the directions written on the wall. Finding X-rays with an arrow pointing to the left, she followed it down the hallway, peeking into every room she passed in hopes of finding him.

 _You said he was your boyfriend..._

 _Stop it. You know you just said it because there was a good chance they wouldn't let you see him otherwise._

 _You're not fooling anybody._

With an aggravated sigh, Jory shook her internal dialogue out of her head and rushed to the X-ray desk. An older man was behind it, looking over some paperwork. His hair was black and greying at the sides. He looked up at her and offered her a curt nod in lieu of a formal greeting. "Can I help you, miss?"

"I..."

"Jory."

Turning, she saw Seth being wheeled out of an X-ray room. "Seth!" She rushed over to him, leaning down to hug him. It was an awkward embrace, and it was nowhere near as tight as she wanted it to be. "Oh my God, Seth, are you okay?"

"I don't think so," he confessed with a deep sigh. He embraced her a little tighter. She could hear the sadness in his voice, and it made her heart crack and splinter. She hugged him a little tighter in return. "I won't know until I see the surgeon this week. There's...I...I can't..." Seth cut himself off and just allowed himself to enjoy her embrace. He was grateful to see her, thankful that she hadn't moved to the next town and left him behind.

Pulling back, Jory turned her attention to the tech. "How long were you planning on keeping him?"

"He's good to go once he gets his copy of the X-rays to take to his surgeon." Jory nodded.

"How long is that going to take?"

"The nurse is getting all that ready now," Seth told her. She nodded.

"Can I get said nurse to wheel him out? I'll go bring the car around."

"Can do." Jory shot one last look at Seth, her lips pursing into a tight line before she turned and left.

* * *

By the time Jory pulled the car up to the emergency doors, Seth was already waiting on the curb with a nurse. She got out of the car and approached. "Can you stand?" she asked him. He looked up at her and sighed. The feeling of being helpless was becoming too familiar for him, and he hated it.

"I can't put any weight down on this leg."

"Come on." The nurse watched as she leaned down and draped his arm around her shoulders and pulled him up. He had to assist her on his good leg, but they were able to work together to get him into the passenger's seat with as little pain as possible. Once he was inside, she readjusted his seat as far back as it could go so he could stretch his leg. Jory made sure he was comfortable before she shut the door. The nurse was already walking back into the hospital with the chair. Rounding the front of the car, Jory got into the driver's seat and shut the door before she buckled her seat-belt.

They drove in silence for a while. Seth stared out the window, deep in his thoughts. She could tell he was extremely uncomfortable. When the car stopped at a red light, she reached out and put her hand on his, giving it a reassuring squeeze. He looked over at her, surprised. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I'm such an asshole. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Don't even worry about me. Now's the time to worry about you," she told him. "Are you okay?"

He sighed. "It looks like I'm going to miss my second _WrestleMania_ in a row..."

"We don't know that yet," she told him. "I know it's hard, and if I have to be optimistic for the both of us, I'll do that because you've carried me so much. But we'll take this as it comes, okay?" Seth nodded. He managed a slight smile.

"Thanks for coming to get me."

"You did the same for me. I was in such a rush when I came to...Roman's got your bags. He's going to meet us at the hotel and he's going to help me get you up to the room." Seth was surprised at the development, but he wasn't upset by any of it.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save..."

"Don't. You have nothing to apologize for." She sighed. "I just...I wish I'd seen it. We walked right into this. From the second Mick made the match, I should have known that we were walking into a trap."

"Hunter got what he wanted. I fell for it," Seth said, hanging his head. It was one of the rare times he felt stupid and ashamed.

"Neither of us saw Joe. He flew out of nowhere," she told him. "If I'd seen him, I would have..."

"I know. I didn't see him until it was too late." They were silent. "Jory..."

"We're in this together, Seth. No matter what happens with us, we're in this together."

"And what is happening with us?" he asked. "Should I be asking this? I don't know how much more bad news I can handle."

"There's no bad news. Just...I've been burned. A lot. I don't want to keep getting burned." She looked at him. "I don't think it's a secret how we feel about each other. I just...You're not going to join The Authority the night after _WrestleMania,_ are you?"

"No," he said with a chuckle. "Those days are in the rear-view mirror."

* * *

True to his word, Roman was waiting in the parking lot for them when they arrived. Renee was with him, an unexpected but not entirely unsurprising development. Seth's suitcase was between the two of them. Jory got out of the car first, rounding the front to greet them. "Hey, guys. Thank you so much for picking up the slack for me, Roman. I owe you huge," she told him, approaching and giving him a hug. "Sorry. I know I smell so bad. I'm heading upstairs to clean up. I promise." Roman chuckled.

"It's no problem. Let's get him up to the room." She nodded. With Roman, she approached the car. Jory opened the door. Seth looked at Roman sheepishly.

"Hey, man," Roman greeted.

"Hey."

"Let's get you settled."

"Renee, can you take the bags? I'll be right behind you after I park the car." Renee nodded and grabbed Seth's bag. Roman reached into the car and grabbed Seth's arm, draping it around his shoulders so he could help Seth out of the car. Renee rushed forward to hold the door open while Jory got in the car to grab the first empty parking space she saw. Once she found it, she killed the ignition and got out of the car. Rounding to the back, she grabbed her bags. When the trunk was shut, she locked up with the press of a button and followed quickly after the trio.

"Can we get a key, please?" Roman asked. "We need to get him off his leg _immediately_."

"What's his...?"

"Rollins," Jory interrupted, approaching the desk. "I'm here to check in for Rollins, but we need a key. He's hurt."

"Oh, jeez." The front desk agent handed Roman the envelope with the key-cards and the trio began to move to the elevator while Jory checked in. "Is he going to be okay?"

"We won't know until he sees his surgeon. It's his knee."

"That sucks. He's already had surgery on it, too." She looked up at him.

"Wrestling fan?"

"I am. How did it happen?"

"Hunter's got Samoa Joe in his corner." The agent whistled. Jory handed him her credit card.

"Is he going to miss _WrestleMania_?"

"We don't know yet. Hopefully not."

"You two are really cool together," he stated. She laughed.

"I think so, too."

* * *

Seth sat on the bed, his leg elevated with some extra pillows Jory found in the closet. He could hear the water running in the bathroom; she was in the shower. They had separate rooms, but the front desk agent was fine with canceling her reservation with no charge. She didn't want Seth doing any kind of walking around if he didn't have to. Seth wasn't complaining about the change in arrangements. Roman and Renee assured him they were on standby if he needed anything, too. He couldn't help but wonder what Dean would think if he knew that his wife was being so nice to him.

The water stopped. Seth let his head rest back against the bed. He was exhausted. As much as he didn't want to think about it, the events of the night kept replaying in his head like a movie. Passing out in the Coquina Clutch. Jory getting a Pedigree. She was right; how had they failed to see that they walked right into Hunter and Stephanie's trap? He'd let his emotions get the better of him once again. _Classic Seth Rollins. Jory tried to warn you, but nobody could tell you anything. You had to go out and beat your chest. And what did it get you? You're probably going to miss WrestleMania again._

His thoughts were cut short when Jory came out of the bathroom, dressed in red and black plaid shorts and a black T-shirt with the Umbrella logo on the front. Her hair was wet and brushed around her face. She stretched, wincing. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Hunter just put a lot into hooking my arms. The middle of my back is killing me." She rounded the bed, sitting down on the empty side. "Whatever I'm feeling isn't anything compared to you." She reached out and put her hand over his, rubbing the knuckle with her thumb. "But we're in this together. I mean it. Whatever happens, this is our fight. Together."

"They're going to make your life a living hell."

"There's not a whole lot they can do to me that's worse than what I've already been through," she told him with a shrug. "I'm not scared of Alexa Bliss. I'm not scared of Stephanie McMahon. I'm not scared of anyone they want to put in front of me."

"You can still go to _SmackDown_..."

"Not on your life. Not until we burn their kingdom to the ground."


	31. A Morning to Remember

**Chapter 30:**

 **A Morning to Remember**

* * *

With an uncomfortable groan, Seth rolled over, careful not to put any unwanted stress on his knee. Reaching blindly with his right hand, he grabbed his cell phone off the nightstand and unlocked the screen with a yawn. Outside, it was yet another grey day in Davenport; he had been disappointed to find the weather channel called for snow sometime in the afternoon. With a second yawn, he clicked on the Instagram icon. There were at least a hundred notifications that he had been tagged in posts. Instead of surfing through them, he cleared them before focusing his attention on his timeline. If he spent all his time going through the notifications, he'd never get out of bed.

His breath caught when he saw Jory's latest post. She was kneeling on an unmade bed; he assumed it was hers. The bed sheets were red and the comforter and pillows were black and white. Her hair fell over her face in beautiful waves that made her look incredibly sexy. She wore a small pair of pajama shorts that barely covered anything, and his T-shirt, cut into a V-neck. In one hand she held a cup of coffee; the other was tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. _Holy shit,_ he thought to himself, whistling low. Scrolling down, his eyes scanned the caption, a smirk tugging at his mouth.

 _Send thoughts and prayers to the amazing Seth Rollins. Keep your fingers crossed for him._

He hit the like button – how could he not? Pulling up the keyboard, he began to type. _Wow. You should wear my gear more often._ He didn't know what else to say. With a low whistle, he took in every detail of the picture. "I could wake up to that every morning," he mused.

It was hard not to feel the bolt of guilt that hit him every time he thought about Hunter and Joe's attack. He hadn't been able to save her. She wasn't holding it against him, she hadn't made any snide or off-the-cuff comments about it, but he still felt awful nonetheless. His days weren't pretty; there was a lot of depression. Knowing he could potentially miss his second _WrestleMania_ in a row was personally devastating. Jory was being optimistic about things, still convinced that things were going to work out. Seth admired it; he also supposed that somebody had to be looking for the bright side in the situation. Joe was on his hit list now, but that would have to wait until after _WrestleMania_.

If he made it that far.

With a sigh, Seth left Instagram and tapped on the Face-Time app. He was surprised when she answered, her hair back in a ponytail, her makeup done. She looked like she had been up for hours. "Good morning," she greeted cheerfully, holding up her coffee mug. "How's your knee feeling this morning?"

"It's still there, so I guess that's something." She examined the face on the other side of the screen. He didn't have to say it out loud, but she could see the sadness in his eyes. He was struggling with being injured once again, so soon after coming back. She knew he was terrified of missing _WrestleMania_. "I, uh, saw your picture this morning."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." They were quiet for a beat. "It was nice."

"Thanks." Jory couldn't help but laugh at the change in his voice. "How did it go with the doctor?"

"Well, the good news is I won't need surgery..."

"Seth! That's amazing news!" The joy in her voice was genuine, and it warmed Seth's heart.

"The bad news is my _WrestleMania_ status is still up in the air. I'm going to have to rehab aggressively, and even then it isn't a guarantee that I can get cleared in time," he added.

"So are you in Orlando?" she asked. Seth shook his head.

"Nope. I'm home for the weekend, pretty much to clean up the apartment and get my shit packed before I hit Orlando on Monday. I'm going to be rehabbing with Finn. How's that for karma?" he asked.

"Finn's never blamed you for what happened," she reminded him gently."

"It's my fault, though," Seth reminded her. "I'm sure he'll be _really_ happy to see me."

"I'm sure he'll be happy to see a familiar face." She smiled. "Is there a reason why you couldn't call this morning?"

"Because I wanted to see your face." She felt herself blush.

"Seth..."

"There's kind of another reason, too," he confessed. "I had plans tonight with a friend, and it fell through. I wanted to know if you had any plans tonight."

"Not tonight. What's on your docket?"

"I got a spare ticket for the A Day to..."

"Shut. Up." He bit back a laugh; the expression on her face was priceless. "You jerk! I tried so hard to get tickets, but they sold out so quick! How did you...?"

"Paige dated the guitarist. I kind of used that to my advantage. I'm not proud of it, but I got floor tickets and backstage passes. If you don't want to go..."

"No, no, no! I'm in. I'll make the drive. Where are we going to meet?"

"My place is good. If you're too tired to drive back after, you can always crash here, too. You could always take the time tomorrow to come and do the Black & Brave tour." She smiled, and he felt himself doing the same.

"That sounds great. I'm going to let you go. I'm going to need to get some things together. Wow."

"Excited much?" he teased.

"I'll see you in a few hours. If we're on the floor, you'd better get that knee iced and braced," she told him. They said their goodbyes and hung up. Seth put his phone down on the bed beside him.

 _Is this our first date? I think it's our first date_ , Seth thought to himself. He thought about Jory, who was probably brimming with even more energy now that he had invited her out to the show. It was going to be his last hurrah, his only night to have fun before he started the aggressive rehabilitation process. There was just a little over sixty days to _WrestleMania_ , and he knew it meant that he was going to have to put his nose to the grindstone and push through. If it meant rehabbing three times a day, he was willing to do it. There was the plan to think about. He couldn't leave Jory alone to try and carry it out. It had to be both of them. She had been right.

This was their fight. Just the two of them.


	32. A Night to Remember

_I'm extremely sorry for the delay in an update. Things have been a little...tumultuous on my end. There's gonna be like another six chapters or so, and then this story is going to wrap up. To everyone who's been reading and leaving reviews and following, thank you. It's been really hard to get back into writing with everything that's happened, and the support means everything. So, without further ado..._

* * *

 **Chapter 30:**

 **A Night to Remember**

* * *

It was just after three o'clock in the afternoon when Jory called Seth to throw a monkey wrench into his plans. His original idea – unbeknownst to her – was for her to meet at his apartment, where he would do the whole candlelit dinner deal before heading out to the concert together. He'd been so excited, A Day to Remember blaring from his speakers as he moved with cautious enthusiasm, doing whatever he could to not make his apartment look like such a bachelor pad. He'd answered the phone with a huge smile on his face, checking his beard out in the mirror while she spoke. He watched his smile fade in the mirror as Jory told him the bad news: there had been a car accident on the interstate, and she was stuck in traffic. There was no telling how long the road was going to be closed for, and the traffic was bumper to bumper, so heading home or charging forward wasn't an option. He felt his heart skip a beat when she told him glumly that she wasn't going anywhere, only for it to discover its rhythm once more when she told him that she was just going to have to meet him at the venue. Jory didn't have to be there with him to know he wasn't happy about the change of plans, but Seth was relieved she was going to see it through. On a normal day, the drive from Chicago to Davenport was around three hours. Seth knew that by the time she arrived, she was going to be exhausted.

He made it to the arena in an Uber, just as the blue sky began to get dark. He thought about driving, but he decided he wanted to have a beer or two at the show. The driver ended up being an old friend from high school; after a quick selfie, the two spent the drive catching up on their lives. When the car came to a stop along the curb, Seth paid the driver, slapped hands with him, and got out of the car. He took a moment to scan his surroundings, noting the huge circular cluster of people in the middle of the lineup. He walked towards the line, pulling out his phone. _What's your ETA?_

A moment later, his phone buzzed. _Lost in the crowd. Come save me, Superman._

With a grin, Seth slid his phone into the back pocket of his black jeans as he made his way towards the crowd. As he approached, he could hear the chatter behind him of people who recognized him. "Holy shit, it's Seth fucking Rollins!" he heard a few times, along with some people yelling his name in hopes of getting a moment of his time.

"Fuck you, Rollins, you pussy!"

 _Oh, there's always one_ , Seth thought to himself with a grin. Realizing he'd have to push his way through the crowd, he sighed. "Excuse me," he said, gently pushing through the crowd. People slapped his back and grabbed at him; somebody slapped him on the ass.

Breaking into the middle of the crowd, he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Jory posing for a picture with a male fan that was making her visibly uncomfortable. Seth noticed the guy's hand was resting quite low on her hip. He felt something flare up inside him. _Am I jealous? Yeah, just a bit._

His second thought was that she looked beautiful. She wore a black A Day to Remember T-shirt that he would later see had slashes down the back. She wore black tights and knee-high black vinyl boots tied with white laces. Her makeup was bold and dramatic. He loved the way her hair fell around her face. _She looks ready for a night of aggressive headbanging_.

"Hey. You made it," Seth greeted over the noise of the crowd. Jory's eyes shifted over to him. She broke out of the man's grip and rushed over to him. Seth hugged her tightly, surprised to find that she was hugging him back just as tightly. He was very aware of the eyes on the two of them. "Did you just get here?" he asked.

"I got here about ten minutes ago. It felt like I was on that interstate forever. I probably broke every speed limit on the way here," she confessed. Seth pulled back, shooting an annoyed glance at the male fan who was now sandwiching Jory between himself and Seth.

"You mind, guy?" Seth asked. Jory shot him a look. She bit her lower lip to keep from laughing. Both of them were happy when the man backed away from her.

"If it's any consolation, you should see the female eyes I'm getting behind you," she told him softly. He laughed. Releasing his embrace, she took her place beside him. "Thanks for inviting me out for this tonight."

"Thanks for coming out. I'm sorry your trip was bad." He handed her a ticket and a backstage pass lanyard. She put it around her neck. "So what happened anyway?"

"Three car collision. As far as I know, injuries were minor. But it took forever for everything to reopen. I was worried for a few minutes there that I wasn't going to make it. "

"I'm glad you did. I thought you were going to turn back."

"And miss this? Bitch, please." She shook her head. "Besides, it was bumper to bumper. Nobody could do anything. I'm just glad it's winter and not hundred degree weather."

Seth was tapped on the shoulder. He turned to see a woman standing behind him, dressed in a Nirvana T-shirt, tight blue jeans and a plaid shirt tied around her waist. Her hair was blonde, and dip-dyed purple. "Sorry to bother you, but would you mind if I got a picture with you both? My boyfriend's a huge fan, and he won't believe this if I don't have a picture." Seth shot a look at Jory. She grinned and took the phone from the fan. The three of them took a selfie. Jory had to laugh at how enthusiastic the woman looked in the photo, pointing at both of them. "Thank you so much!"

"No problem." Seth looked over at Jory. He loved the way her smile lit up her entire face, how it seemed to make her mint eyes sparkle more. She looked at him, but before anything else could be said, the line began to move at a rapid pace. Up ahead, Jory watched the security guards pat down everyone they came into contact with. She watched them search through purses and pockets. She was glad she locked hers in the trunk; all she was going in with was some cash, her ticket, and her pass. Anything else felt unnecessary.

Jory was directed to the female security guard, Seth to the male. They both walked over, arms spread, grinning at each other as they were patted down and ushered through. Once they were through the doors, they were back in step with each other, Seth draping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her close.

"I'm really glad you're here," he reiterated. She smiled, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"I am, too."

* * *

 _I wish I'd gotten to know her sooner. Why the fuck did I wait so long?_

Seth was staring at the back of her head. She was a little to his right, her cell phone in the air. It was still strange to Seth, living through the transition of lighters to cell phones at rock shows, but he had to admit that the sea of little bluish-white lights was quite a sight to see. Jory's body swayed from right to left, her head moving side to side as she shouted the lyrics at the top of her lungs.

He smiled. It had been a great night, and he would have told anyone who could hear him that he was glad Jory was there. Over the course of the show, he learned that she could head-bang with the best of them, that she possessed no fear when it came to jumping into a mosh pit. He was sure she was going to sport some great bruises from being knocked around, but she wasn't fragile, and she didn't care. He spent a good part of the show studying every detail in her face and every move she made when he thought she wasn't looking. Seth loved the way her eyes lit up when the band went into a song she loved. _Stars in her eyes_ , he thought to himself.

She was still gun-shy about things involving the business because of The Authority, still licking old wounds and paying penance for making a deal with devils. He knew the feeling; he'd given Hunter and Stephanie everything, just to be put out to pasture. With everything he had done, it made him feel good to know that someone really cared. Out of everyone he knew, she was one of the small handfuls of people who kept in contact, who regularly checked in and seemed to care about his well-being, mental and physical.

It was funny, how the biggest part of their careers had been together in the Authority, yet apart. He regretted that she'd been left to herself when everything exploded, but he was grateful that she had managed to tiptoe into his life when the high of his return came back down to Earth in the worst possible way.

 _You're lucky it happened after – you wouldn't have known how to treat somebody like her in those days_ , Seth thought to himself. It was a jarring thought, but he knew his mind spoke the truth. He'd let himself get lost in The Authority; the person he let himself become wasn't one he was proud of.

 _She looks so beautiful tonight_.

He wished that his original plan to make her dinner and hang out before the show had followed through, but he was glad she'd made it, that she hadn't found a way to turn her car around and go home. His only hope was that she wasn't going to make the three-hour drive back to Chicago when everything was over.

 _"I'm not some boy that you can sway – we knew it'd happen eventually. La...la la la...la la la..."_

The crowd was loud, singing along. Jory was still swaying, lost in the music, letting herself forget the past two years of her life. Seth let himself enjoy the moment, his last hurrah at home before he had to report back to Orlando for aggressive rehab. Taking a small step forward, he wrapped his arms around Jory's waist. He wasn't sure what she was going to do, but he was relieved when she rested her head back against his shoulder, her free hand resting on his arm.

 _"If you can wait till I get home...then I swear we can make this last..."_

* * *

"Ugh. Remind me to never let you talk me into anything ever again."

Seth looked up from the book of drawings he was looking at and grinned. On the padded table, Jory lay with her right arm over her head. Her shirt and bra were pushed up high on her side, her breasts still covered. He laughed when she winced. The tattoo artist worked diligently, inking the outline he'd put on her rib-cage.

It had started innocently enough when they were backstage with the band. Seth was admiring some new ink on the bassist, and then the band had asked Jory if she had any. Once she'd said no, she'd expected the topic to die.

On the way back to his apartment, he pitched taking her on a tour. She was driving, so she had him lead her around from his spot in the passenger's seat, listening while he gave her a tour of his hometown, pointing out his high school, his teenage hangouts, and the places that he loved now that he was older. Some locations had stories that made her laugh. When Seth pointed out where he'd gotten his first tattoo, he'd gotten an idea. Now, he sat on a chair, absently flipping through a binder full of art while she lay on a table remembering why she hated needles so much.

"You said you were down," he told her with a laugh. He was still feeling the high of being at the show with Jory, of meeting the band with her underneath his arm. "I didn't twist your arm."

"How much longer is there to go?" she asked the artist.

"I'm halfway through." Jory groaned, and Seth laughed harder.

"You wanted a spot where nobody was going to see it," Seth reminded her. She had been concerned about management; there were all kinds of hoops to jump through to do things, because of merchandising. Her gear covered the tattoo. "You picked the ribs."

"Life sucks," she grumbled. Seth put the binder down on the other chair and stood, approaching her.

"Come on. You took thirty stitches in your arm like a big girl."

"Don't patronize me while I'm down here, Rollins," she threatened. "You owe me a whiskey sour after this one."

"There's a bar a block down from my place," he told her. "Get through this without complaining, I'll get you good and drunk," he promised. She laughed but straightened when she was told to quit moving so much. "Not too drunk, though – I still want to take you over to the school tomorrow morning."

She nodded. Reaching out, he stroked her hair. Peering over, he looked at the artist's progress. "It's looking great."

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Would I lie to you?" he asked.

"You haven't yet."

* * *

Pleasantly buzzed off whiskey sours and beer, Seth held Jory by the hand as he led her inside the dark apartment. As soon as she crossed the threshold, he turned on her quickly, pushing her up against the door, knocking it shut, his mouth covering hers in a kiss that felt desperate and needy, full of pent-up energy. His arm snaked around her waist, his grip almost vise-like. One hand rested on the back of his neck, while the other was on his shoulder, fingers curling into the material of his T-shirt, their bodies pressing against each other, moving in a rhythm that quickly left Jory feeling hot all over. Her hands moved to the hem of his shirt and began tugging it away from his black skinny jeans. Seth pulled back and took the shirt off quick, throwing it to the floor before he saw to it that her shirt ended up in the same place.

 _Holy shit_ , he thought to himself, taking in the black and red lace demi-cup bra she wore. Then his lips were on her neck, while his free hand slipped into her tights. He felt her shudder against him, and he couldn't help but grin against her skin at how short and shallow her breaths had become.

"Oh my God," she gasped quietly, a hand moving from his shoulder to his hair. His hand working between her legs had the effect of making all thought stutter and stop. Her eyes closed and her head fell against the door with a moan. Her hips began to rock against him involuntarily, earning a pleased sigh from Seth.

"Think we should move this to the bedroom?" he asked. "It'll probably be more comfortable there."

"I think we should, but I kind of don't want you to stop what you're doing...oh..." He couldn't help but study every detail of the moment, the way her chest heaved and the way her head lolled from side to side. When her lips parted, he took the opportunity to kiss her, smiling against her mouth when she shrieked. Sensing that it wasn't going to take long for her to climax, his fingers began to move faster, earning a plea from her not to stop.

"So beautiful..." he whispered against her lips before kissing her again. Removing his arm from around her waist, he used his free hand to pull her bra down underneath her breasts, his mouth immediately latching onto a nipple. Jory's gasp was sharp. She put a hand around his head to hold him in place, while the other gripped the doorknob to keep herself standing. If she weren't holding on, she was sure she was going to fall. He moved to the other breast, using his free hand to massage the other one.

"I...oh my God..." He heard a sharp intake of breath, and then her cries were loud. She held onto the knob tightly, and Seth quickly moved to wedge her in place as she came apart in front of him. His mouth covered hers. Her free hand dug tightly into his shoulder, making him wince. She shook against him, struggling for breath. Sensing she needed to breathe, Seth broke the kiss, sucking in a breath while she cried out. Removing his hand, he caught her as she went limp against him, embracing him tightly.

"Hey...are you okay?" he asked with a chuckle. The high-pitched sigh that escaped her told him that she was still coming down. He stroked her back. "Was that okay...?"

"Yeah huh," she managed, burrowing her head into his chest. "Seth, I..."

She looked into his eyes, her chest still heaving a bit. It had been a while since she'd been with anyone, and the intensity had thrown her off-kilter. He looked at her, waiting to hear what she wanted to tell him. _She thinks this is a mistake. I can see it in her eyes. Fuck, I'm so..._

His thoughts came to a screeching halt as she brought him down to her level to kiss him, her free hand moving to the waist of his pants. Seth pulled back. "You're sure about this?"

"Well, not here. I think now would probably be the time to move to your bedroom..." Her hand moved to join the other one at his waistband, popping the button and unzipping. When her hand slid underneath the waistband of his briefs, Seth jolted. Grabbing her wrists, he pulled back.

"You do that here, and we're never making it to the bed," he told her, kissing her.

He pulled back, his head dipping. "What are you – _Seth!"_

Standing, he kept his arm wrapped around Jory's waist to keep her on his shoulder. With a giant grin on his face, he turned, walking towards his bedroom. " _What are you doing?"_ she asked, her voice a little shrill and wracked with giggles. "Put me down!" she laughed.

"Nope. I've got plans with you."


	33. The Morning After

**Chapter 31:**

 **The Morning After**

* * *

Morning sunlight burst through the slits in the blinds, falling on Jory's face, directly in her line of vision. With an aggravated sigh, followed by a deep groan, she covered her face with her forearm and tried to block it out. Between the loud concert and the whiskey sours she'd imbibed in the night before, Jory wasn't at all surprised to find that she had a slight headache. What she was surprised to find, however, was an empty bed when she rolled over.

She sat up quickly, wincing at the stretched feeling in her ribs – _oh, right – the tattoo,_ and pulled the comforter to her chest to conceal her breast. Her free hand brushed a strand of hair out of her face before she put her hand down on the mattress. Memories of only hours before did a smash-cut in her head, making her blush all over. _Would you look at that? It was so good for Seth, he crept out of his own apartment_ , she thought to herself. Shaking the nasty thought out of her head, she looked around the room, her eyes falling on the suitcase beside the dresser, packed and ready to go for his upcoming time in Orlando. _Always living out of suitcases. What a life we've chosen_ , she thought. She looked at the empty side of the bed. _I didn't even feel him leave. I must have been out_.

One part of her wanted to lay back and enjoy a few extra minutes in bed before the inevitable awkwardness crept in; the other part wanted to find her clothing and get out of there before things got uncomfortable. Her bag was still in the car; in all the excitement of the show, the backstage meeting, the drinks and the flirting, Jory had forgotten all about taking it out of the car. Her toothbrush, hair supplies, and makeup were all in the car. If she wanted it, she'd have to do the walk of shame to get it. She groaned, her hand on her forehead.

The door opened. Jory looked up, surprised to find Seth standing in front of her, already dressed, his hair back in a bun. _He looks cute with his glasses on_ , she thought to herself. In one hand, he held a tray with two coffee cups, the other hand held a brown paper bag. "Hey. Sorry. I thought I'd make it back in time before you woke up. I, uh, stopped by this little bakery down the block for breakfast. They make the best coffee." He rounded to his side of the bed, setting the bag down on the nightstand before he got himself comfortable on the bed.

"A white chocolate mocha for you," he told her, handing her the cup. She took it, her one hand still keeping the blanket to her chest. "And a double shot of espresso for this guy right here," he said with a chuckle, placing the tray on the nightstand behind the bag. He looked over at her. "How's the tattoo?" he asked.

"Still there," she cracked. With a sigh, she turned to him. "Seth..."

She was silenced by his kiss. Against every instinct she had, Jory kept her hold on the blanket. Seth pulled back, brushing her hair over her shoulder. He studied her face, his brown eyes flickering with something Jory couldn't place. "Am I reading things wrong again? Did you regret...?"

"What? No. God, no. Not at all," she insisted. Jory realized it was a little too vehemently by the way that Seth grinned. "Would you stop smiling like that. God..."

"You said that a lot last night," he teased, bumping her with his shoulder as she went to sip her coffee. It took a lot of effort to keep the coffee in her mouth. Seth laughed, and she felt herself blush all over. Jory readjusted so that she could rest against the headboard.

"So...what now?" she asked. He shot her a look.

"What do you mean, what now?" The realization dawned on Seth. "Oh. Is this a one-night thing?"

"I don't know. Is it?"

"I don't want it to be...but I guess I should be asking you what you want here."

"I am naked in your bed," she pointed out. "I don't do that with just anybody."

"I, uh, haven't done it with anybody in a long time," he told her. It was her turn to shoot him a look. "I probably shouldn't have admitted that out loud..."

"It's, uh, fine." She was surprised when Seth reached out and placed his hand over hers. She sighed. "Are we just doing this because of what we're in the middle of?" she asked. It was a big question, but she thought it was a valid one. "When all of this is over...what happens?"

"If it's cool with you...I don't think anything really needs to change." He moved his hand from hers to grab the paper bag. "I picked up breakfast." He handed her the bag. They fell quiet as she took her pastry, biting into it. "I'm not gonna lie, Jory...I like having you around."

"I like having you around, too," she confessed quietly. "I have to admit I kind of like life a little more when you're around. By myself, things would be pretty unbearable."

Seth draped an arm around her shoulders and she rested her head against his shoulder while she munched on the pastry. They were quiet for a few moments, Seth sipping his coffee, his hand absently stroking her hair. "Jory..."

"I'm going to miss you backstage," she confessed. She knew that Hunter and Stephanie could do the same thing to her that was done to Seth at any time; her strength in numbers was gone.

"I won't be gone long. I'm going to do everything in my power to get back as quickly as I can," he promised. They fell quiet again. "When are you heading back to Chicago?"

"Not too sure yet." He wanted to invite her to stay the night again, but he knew she had to go home and pack to go back on the road. Now that she was in his bed, inside of his home, he never wanted to let her go. "I wanted to stay long enough to check out your school."

"I was going to ask..."

"Can you do me a favor, though?"

"What do you need?"

"I left my stuff in the car."

Seth grinned; they'd really had a one track mind the night before. "After breakfast, how about you have a shower, and I'll leave your stuff outside the door when you're done." He looked down at her, at the faint red scar on her arm, something literal to match the mental torment she'd spent years enduring.

"You could always just come in. I don't have anything you haven't seen anymore," she said with a sigh. Seth couldn't help but laugh at how acerbic she sounded. But the idea of joining her in the shower...

"I'm gonna miss you," he told her. "I promise I'll make it back for _WrestleMania_. If I make it to a match, great. If not, I'm going to be there for you when you finally get your hands on Stephanie."

"Oh, I don't know if that's going to happen," she said with a sigh. "Mick hasn't gotten back to me on anything yet."

"He'll pull through. If I know Mick, he's not going to let you down on this one."

"I hope not. They need to pay for everything that they've done." _To Seth. To Bryan. To Brie. To me,_ she thought to herself. The Authority's reign of terror had left a lot of carnage, a lot of people broken down personally and professionally. "But Stephanie is still Mick's boss at the end of the day. I'm sure she gets to veto everything."

"Mick's from a different time, Jory," he reminded her, ruffling her hair. "He's got a direct line to Vince."

She wanted to say that it seemed unlikely Vince would throw his daughter to the wolves, but she remembered Stephanie's entire career. "I hope you're right."

"I know it's hard with everything you've been through, but sometimes you have to trust someone." He moved his arm away from her and she sat up. "I'm going to head downstairs and grab your bag. Where're your keys?"

"In my purse. I think I dropped it in front of the door last night."

"Okay." He kissed the top of her head. "Get yourself ready for the day. I want to head out in the next hour so you've got daylight to drive home." She nodded. Seth got up and left. She finished her pastry. Her eyes scanned the room for something to wear to the bathroom. Leaning over his side, she saw a black robe lying on the floor and she grabbed it quickly, pulling it around her frame. _That's convenient, but I'm not going to argue with it. Stupid Jory not bringing her things up to the room. You obviously weren't thinking about anything but getting some last night..._

Shaking the thoughts out of her head, Jory was on her way to the bathroom when she heard her phone go off inside her purse. It startled her. After she caught herself, Jory approached her bag, picking it up where Seth had left it on the floor – classic – and put it on the kitchen counter. Grabbing her phone, she saw a text message icon. With a sigh, she opened it up. It was from Mick.

 _When you get to Raw on Monday come see me. Big news. I promise it's good._

 _Okay._ Jory didn't know what else to say. She had a suspicion that it had to do with her request, but he wasn't going to tell her anything over the phone. Dropping her phone back inside her purse, Jory went into the bathroom to get herself ready for the day. But she knew that Mick's text was going to weigh on her until she got to _Raw_ on Monday night.


	34. Everything She Wants

**Chapter 33:**

 **Everything She Wants**

* * *

Jory arrived at _Monday Night Raw_ at the beginning of March doing her best to ignore the feeling of frustration that was bubbling inside her. For the past three weeks, something had been getting in the way of meeting with Mick; family emergency with his daughter Noelle, business meetings at the headquarters in Stamford, Stephanie giving him the night off...it was almost as if Stephanie sensed the two of them were up to something, like there was some kind of divine intervention to keep the two of them apart until _WrestleMania_ was over. In his absence, Stephanie had been making her life a living hell; the first week, Jory had to fight Nia with one hand tied behind her back. The following week she had Alexa Bliss, Nia Jax, Dana Brooke and Charlotte in a handicap match. Last week saw her ambushed before her match; Stephanie had dropped her with a Pedigree and reminded her once again that she would never be anything in the division as long as Stephanie sat at the top of it.

She arrived in black leggings and a black button-down shirt underneath a leather jacket, her hair pulled back in a high ponytail that swung with every step. She moved carefully, dragging her suitcase and dodging patches of ice in the parking lot. _I'm so fucking ready for spring,_ she thought to herself. Plastering a smile on her face, she stopped at the barricades to take selfies and sign autographs for a few minutes before she ran into Nia. Falling into step beside Nia, the two of them walked into the arena together.

"Is this the week where you finally tell me about your date night with The Architect?" Nia pressed as soon as they were out of earshot. Jory looked over at her, dressed in a black and white suit, her hair back in a bun. The night after the concert, their photographs had been plastered all over Instagram. Since then, she hadn't gotten a chance to breathe with the girls, Nia and Renee especially.

"Nope."

"I can't believe you're going to hold out on us like this. Us, your friends," Nia said dramatically. Jory shook her head. They hadn't gone public, but they weren't denying anything, either. Jory knew that the girls would push for uncomfortable details, so she was choosing to stay quiet. It had nothing to do with protection or privacy; it was more for her sanity and peace of mind.

"There's nothing to talk about, Nia. And we're in _WrestleMania_ season. Things are nuts," Jory reminded her. Before Nia could reply, one of the backstage hands, a young guy named Mike, rushed up to them.

"Hey, Jordana. Mick wants you in his office."

Jory blinked. "He's actually here tonight?"

"Yes. And he wants to see you. He said it's urgent."

Jory and Nia exchanged bewildered glances. Nia reached down and took Jory's suitcase from her. "I'll see that this gets to the locker room. Go see Mick." Jory nodded and followed Mike down the hallway. She knew that Hunter and Stephanie were already at the arena; the goal was going to be avoiding them until she talked to Mick and figured out what he needed to tell her. He'd been leaving her in suspense for weeks now, and if he held off once again, she was pretty sure she was going to strangle him with his Santa Claus tie.

To her surprise, she wasn't led to the General Manager's office, but to an empty locker room far away from everyone else. Mike opened the door for her, and she thanked him as she walked through. Mick sat on a steel folding chair, holding a manila envelope in his hand. At first glance, Jory thought he looked like a man who knew the end was near; she could see the utter defeat in his eyes, could see the exhaustion in the way his shoulders slumped as he sat. "Are you real?" she asked sarcastically as the door shut behind her. "Or am I seeing things again this week?"

"I'm sorry..."

"It's fine. I get it. Life has a way of messing around with things. But you can't just leave me with a text like that for a month," she pointed out, grabbing a steel folding chair from against the wall. Placing it in the middle of the room across from Mick, she sat down. "It's been about a month, and I think I've waited long enough, Mick. Spit it out – what do you got for me?"

"Everything you ever wanted," he told her, handing her the envelope. She took it, her eyes narrowing in confusion. "Everything you want is in there – Vince signed off on your new entrance music, set to debut at _WrestleMania_ , and he's also signed off on what you really wanted – the match with Stephanie."

"Shut up." She opened the envelope and pulled out the paperwork. The contract was signed. Stephanie's signature wasn't to be found anywhere. "How does this work...Stephanie's..."

"Right. Because it's her talent contract. And there's only one person who can override anything on a talent contract..." Mick couldn't help but smile; her expression was priceless.

"How...? Vince really signed off on this?" Mick nodded. Jory looked at him. "How did you get him to do it?"

"First and foremost, Jordana, Vincent Kennedy McMahon is a businessman. And Vince will always do what he thinks will do the best business. If that means throwing his only daughter to the wolves..." Mick shrugged. "Trust me – I didn't have to twist his arm on this one. I had bigger trouble getting your music cleared than I had getting him to sign off on this."

"How did you get the music cleared?" Mick made a sound that resembled a snort.

"You owe your boy some thanks," Mick told her.

"My boy...Seth?" she asked. Mick nodded. "What did Seth do?"

"Seth painted me a picture of what it was like for you under their thumb," he confessed. "The backward, nineties style garbage that they put you through. I reminded Vince that his Be A Star campaign and community goodwill could be impacted if tales of the threats and coercion ever made its way out into the real world..." Jory's eyes widened.

"Dirty pool, Mick."

"It got your song cleared, didn't it?"

"Wow." She looked down at the envelope in her hands, containing every demand she'd asked for. "Mick...thank you. I...I'm sorry. Thank you doesn't seem to cover it."

"It'll do just fine. I'm probably not going to be here past _WrestleMania_ , so I may as well detonate a nuclear bomb on the bridge on my way out," he replied. "So there's more to it than what's in that envelope."

"What else could there possibly be?" she asked.

"Stephanie has no idea."

"What? How is that...?"

"You're in the main event slot tonight. You're going to tell her."

She looked at Mick, into his deep brown eyes. "This is suicide for you," she pointed out.

"I know."

"Thank you. For giving me an opportunity. For believing in me. For all of this. I don't think I can ever repay you."

"There's one thing you can do – kick her ass."

* * *

"Three years ago, I sold my soul."

Jory stood in the middle of the ring, changed into her ring gear, the microphone to her lips. "Three years ago, I let myself be manipulated and shaped and molded into something that was fake, something that was so antithetical to who I am. I lost myself, and in the process, I lost everyone around me. At the end of the day, it got me nowhere. It only made the road to redemption a lot harder when I fell." She turned her attention to the stage. "Blood, sweat, and tears got me here, but I took the easy way out. I'm not proud of that. The hardest thing I've had to do in the past two years is look in the mirror and realize that I'm not who I used to be."

" _Behold the king...the king of kings..."_

Jory put the microphone down, crossing her arms over her chest as Hunter and Stephanie walked onto the stage. Hunter was dressed in one of his "stupid suits", with a blue and white designer tie. Stephanie was dressed in a form-fitting black Herve Leger dress with spiked ankle boots, her hair pulled back from her face. Both of them held a microphone. "Did you hear that, Steph?" Hunter mocked, his voice rising an octave. "Jordana _sold her soul_."

"You're so typical of everyone in this crowd, and everyone in that locker room," Stephanie told her angrily. " _You_ failed, and instead of taking accountability for your shortcomings, you've chosen to blame us. You've chosen to lay the fault at our feet because _you buckled under the pressure_."

"We put everything we had into you, Jordana," Hunter started, pacing on the stage. "You were going to be our biggest female star. You were going to be the woman every little girl in this stand was going to look up to. You were going to be our cover girl, the main attraction in our Women's Revolution. And you failed. You couldn't handle it. So what? Now you can step back and say, ' _oh, it wasn't my fault. I sold my soul to them. They didn't..."_

"We did _everything_ for you," Stephanie cut in, her voice a snarl. "We gave you everything you could have wanted, and you have the audacity to blame us because you failed? You ungrateful _bitch_." Jory cocked an eyebrow as the crowd erupted at the name-calling. "I don't know what in the hell Mick was thinking to give you this time to come out here and air your petty grievances, but it stops now. _Get out of my ring."_

Jory looked around at the crowd, at the little girls in the front row in their Sasha Banks and Bayley T-shirts, at the men and women. Bringing the microphone to her lips again, Jory smiled. "Sure thing, Steph. Whatever you say, Boss Lady." Jory turned to leave the ring. "Oh...one thing first.

"I learned something really interesting recently, you guys. Would you all like to hear it?" The crowd erupted. Hunter and Stephanie stood stone-still at the top of the ramp, waiting to see where she was going with things. "It's a little bit of a long story, so bear with me. So, you see, back around _Survivor Series_ , I caught word that Shane and Daniel over on _SmackDown_ wanted to meet with me. They saw the kind of things you two were doing with me and my career, and they thought I'd make an absolutely wonderful addition to _SmackDown Live_. For all the terrible things you made me do to Daniel Bryan, he showed himself to be better than all of us by forgiving me for everything." Stephanie looked stunned by the revelation.

"So I meet with Bryan and I meet with Shane, and your brother is such a great guy. It's too bad you two drove him out of here for seven years." The crowd went up with an "oh". Stephanie put the microphone to her lips, but Jory kept going. "And even though I tried, against my best efforts, Mick – you know, the General Manager you handpicked – caught wind of it, and I want to say right around the _Rumble_ , he came to meet with me. And you know what he said to me?"

Hunter and Stephanie shrugged.

"He said to me, 'What can I do to keep you on _Raw?'_ And I told him...I want a match against Stephanie McMahon at _WrestleMania_. I told him if he could swing that for me, then I'd stay since I've been bleeding red for my entire career."

Stephanie laughed into the microphone. "So is that what this is? You're here to say goodbye to _Raw_ so you can go and start fresh? You may think my brother is some kind of white knight, but he's no better than I am..."

"That's not the end of the story, Stephanie," Jory said with a smile. "See, I was so curious about what he could do, what kind of magic he could work, that I asked him – what am I missing? As someone who has access to all the contracts, what do I not know about _your_ contract?

"This is where it gets interesting, you guys – did you know that The Authority – that's you, Hunter, and you, Stephanie – that they have not one, but _two_ contracts?"

"It's standard operating procedure..." Hunter started, but Jory cut him off.

"One for their executive positions...the other for talent." The crowd started to see where the story was going, and Jory could hear the chatter in her ear like the buzz of dozens of bees. "I just came from a meeting with Mick...and at _WrestleMania_ , Stephanie, it's you and me. And I'm going to make you suffer for every ounce of pain you've caused me, you evil bitch."

The crowd roared. Stephanie looked shell-shocked. Hunter looked at Jory as if he couldn't believe what she had just said. "That's impossible. I never signed..." Stephanie started.

"Mick didn't need your signature. It turns out your father agrees that somebody needs to put you in your place." Jory grinned as Stephanie began stomping and losing her temper at the top of the ramp. "I'll get out of your ring, for now, Stephanie, but I'll be seeing you at _WrestleMania_. You can believe that."

Dropping the microphone, Jory turned and got out of the ring. Knowing better than to go back up the stage, she hopped the barricade and made her way to the back through the fans. She stopped for a few moments to admire the sight of Stephanie going ballistic on the stage. Hunter couldn't calm her down.

* * *

"Holy shit, I thought she was going to have an aneurysm. Great job out there!"

"Thanks," Jory said with a laugh, settling down on the bed in her hotel room. She was on Face-Time with Seth, who was still down in Orlando. "I think that moment is going to stay with me until the day I die." She sighed. "But Mick's going to be a casualty in all of this. He put his neck out on the line for me, and the ax is going to swing next week. I feel awful about it, Seth."

"He did this because he believes in you," Seth pointed out. Jory nodded, but it did little to alleviate the guilt she felt. "He knows what he's doing, Jory. He's been doing this longer than any of us."

"I wish you were here," she blurted.

"I wish I was with you. But, I've got some news."

"What's that?"

"Barring any serious setbacks, I'm going to be at _Raw_ next week."

"What? Does that mean...?"

"Yeah. I'm going to make it to _WrestleMania_."

"Seth, this is incredible! We're going to have to celebrate next week when you're here. This is amazing!"

"At the end of the day, the plan is still in motion, I guess," he said with a shrug. Jory heard a beep on her phone. Her face darkened. "Hey – what's going on?"

"I got a phone call. It might be important. Can I call you right back?"

"Yeah. Maybe give it about an hour. Finn and I are heading out for drinks."

"Awesome. Have fun. Tell Balor I said hello."

"Can do. I'll talk to you later." They said their goodbyes and Jory got out of the app. She answered her phone.

"Hello?"

"Jordana?" Jory's eyes narrowed.

"Who is this?"

"It's Brie. Bella," she added, in case Jory didn't know.

"Hi," Jory greeted. "What can I do for you? How did you get my number...?"

"I got it from Renee. I, uh, just got the basket you sent for Birdie. I wanted to call and say thank you."

"It's the least I can do. For everything," Jory said. "Are you getting nervous?"

"Yeah. It's not long now. I think Bryan's more nervous than I am," she said with a laugh. They fell silent. "I saw the end of _Raw_ tonight. I always knew you were the resourceful type."

"I don't know. I probably wouldn't be in this spot if I hadn't been so stupid," she confessed. "And I'm going to be honest – Seth was a big help here. Turns out The Architect isn't just a nickname." They shared a laugh.

"I think you and I probably know the best when it comes to knowing what Stephanie is capable of."

"I know. Thankfully my only real friend seems to be Renee. No way is she getting involved." Brie laughed.

"I'll never fully forgive Nicole for blowing my shot at getting revenge on Stephanie. Until Nicole gets married and has her livelihood and her family toyed with, I don't think she'll ever really understand the magnitude of her actions." Jory nodded. "Especially for something that didn't work out in the end."

"I know."

"You have a real shot here, Jordana. I'm going to be living vicariously through you here."

"I'll do my best to not let everyone down."

"Don't underestimate her," Brie advised. "And I'm not just talking about the tricks up her sleeves. I'm talking about her ability. She's not a walk in the park."

"I know. But she's not walking out of _WrestleMania_ with the win, Brie. I'm going to do everything in my power to see to that. For everything she's done...it's time for her to pay."

"I'm not going to be able to travel for the show." Jory nodded; _WrestleMania_ was in Orlando, and Brie and Bryan lived out in Phoenix, Arizona. Brie was too far along in her pregnancy to safely travel. "I'll be watching from home, and know I'll be rooting for you. Bryan will be rooting for you. And I'm going to tell Nicole if she gets one finger involved, I'm going to kill her with my bare hands." They shared a laugh.

"Thank you, Brie."

"I have to go. My mother just got here. I just wanted to call and say thank you for the beautiful basket, and I wanted to tell you not to worry about the past – but just kick her ass for me."

"I promise you I can do that."

"I know you can. You have a good night."

"You, too." The two women said their goodbyes and hung up. Jory dropped her phone on the bed. It was funny to her how a common enemy could sometimes draw people together. Between Bryan's kind words and Brie's phone call, Jory felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. It wasn't a complete redemption in her eyes, but it was a good start.


	35. Kingslayer

**Chapter 33:**

 **Kingslayer**

* * *

" _Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the Commissioner of Monday Night Raw, Stephanie McMahon!"_

Stephanie stood in the middle of the ring with a microphone in her hand and a smile on her face, dressed in black leather leggings and a black V-neck sleeveless shirt, her hair brushed down around her face. A black statement necklace, two bracelets and ankle boots with a stiletto heel completed her look. The crowd wasn't at all happy to see her, but everyone noticed that she was in better spirits than she had been the week before when _Raw_ went off the air. And why wouldn't she be in a good mood? Earlier in the night, she had given Mick the assignment to fire somebody, anybody. It was her measure of revenge on Mick for the things that he had done in the dark to help that turncoat Jordana Moody. Mick was a bleeding heart; he always had been. In her mind, this was the best way for her to punish Mick. She didn't care if he fired injury prone Seth Rollins, that annoying idiot Sami Zayn, or even Jordana herself, but Mick was going to fire someone before the night was over. If he were smart, it would be Jordana. As far as she was concerned, that failure offered nothing.

Backstage, Jordana sat in the women's locker room with Renee, Nia, and Bayley, dressed in a tight black dress with a sweetheart neckline and heels that were an inch past her comfort zone. Her hair was perfectly coiffed, her makeup done to perfection. Her eyes were glued to the television; earlier in the night, she'd begged Mick to cut her loose, to spare his job. She didn't want his professional demise to be on her conscience, but Mick wasn't hearing any of it. "I didn't go through all that trouble getting your music cleared just to fire you."

"What do you think he's going to do?" Renee asked, placing a comforting hand on Jory's shoulder.

"I don't know," she said softly. "This is so fucked up."

In the ring, Stephanie's music faded. "Ladies and gentlemen, I gave my General Manager the opportunity of a lifetime," she informed everyone watching. "The opportunity to prove that he has grown as a businessman. The opportunity to prove that he is a leader who can make the tough decisions, just like he is going to do right now.

"So, ladies and gentlemen, here to name the _Raw_ Superstar that is going to be _fired_... _Raw's_ General Manager, _Mick Foley!"_ With a swing of her arm, Stephanie motioned to the stage as the trademark squeal of tires, crunch of metal and guitar power chords blared through the arena speakers. Jory felt sick to her stomach.

"These are people's lives. This isn't a fucking game show," she retorted.

"You can take this up with her at _WrestleMania_ ," Nia reminded her. With a deep breath, Jory nodded.

Mick walked onto the stage, and Jory could tell that his hip was bothering him. He was dressed in a long-sleeve black shirt and black sweatpants with white runners and a red and black plaid vest. Stephanie watched him walk to the ring with a bemused expression on her face. Jory knew that Stephanie was angry that he had been working with Jory since November, and she was right. Stephanie was furious; conspiring to get Jory on the _WrestleMania_ card, against Stephanie, no less, was the most disrespectful thing she could think of.

After last week, Stephanie had wanted to physically and verbally thrash Mick, but he had been long gone by the time she made it backstage with Hunter. She had been waiting for him when he arrived, though, a little calmer but still angry. She'd thrown him off-guard with her warm smile and kind tone. The only way he could make it up to her was to fire Jordana. She wouldn't say it explicitly to Mick, but to him the insinuation was clear. It was funny to Mick; Stephanie wouldn't let Jordana go, content to keep the young woman underneath her thumb, but now that Jordana had broken out and become a threat, Stephanie was suddenly all too willing to cut her loose. Mick knew the truth.

Stephanie feared Jordana.

Inside the ring, Mick waved to the crowd and moved to grab a microphone. With a fake smile, Stephanie gave him polite applause that felt sarcastic to Jory as he took his place with her in the middle of the ring. Mick's music faded and Stephanie flashed him a smile. "Mick, that was pretty nimble, actually," she commented. "That's a heck of an entrance.

"So, Mick, you've had to make a very tough decision tonight, so let's hear it: Who is the fat that you're going to cut off the bone? Who's the bottom-feeding ten percent? Who is the _Raw_ Superstar that you are going to fire?"

Jory couldn't keep the contempt and disgust off her face at the giddiness of Stephanie's tone, but she kept herself quiet. There was only so many times she could point out that it was somebody's life she wanted to destroy before it became repetitive. Crossing her arms over her chest, Jory sat back.

"Any word from Seth?" Renee asked. Jory shook her head.

"He called yesterday and said he re-tweaked his knee. He was really upset. He still thinks he can make it for _WrestleMania_ , but it's two weeks out..." Jory sighed.

Inside the ring, Mick looked dejected. "Stephanie, let me first say that when you handed me this assignment, I thought it was nothing more than an exercise in callous cruelty because I could not think of one Superstar, male or female, who deserved to be terminated.

"But just about ten minutes ago, a name kind of popped its head up at me, and after the last few minutes, it was practically jumping off the page at me. Um, and before I name this member of the _Raw_ roster, I'd like to personally thank you for giving me this tough assignment because I think in the long run it will make me a better General Manager, a better person, and I know it's going to make for a better, more enjoyable version of _Monday Night Raw_ , so thank you."

Everyone in the locker room was quiet now, their eyes glued on the television screen. Stephanie was now smiling a genuine smile. For all of Mick's shortcomings, Stephanie was confident that Mick was going to do the right thing by her and by the _Raw_ brand. "Mick, I'm so proud of you," she told him. "I mean, finally, you're thinking with your head and not your heart. So, who is it? Let us all have it."

"Well, after careful deliberation, the name that I have come up with is...Stephanie McMahon." The crowd roared. Stephanie blinked. It was almost as if the words weren't registering inside her brain.

Inside the locker room, the women hooted, but Jory remained silent. "If it were only that easy," Jory replied. Bayley looked at Jory, becoming somber. It took a few moments for everyone to accept the fact Stephanie being fired was nothing more than the wishful thinking of the desperate.

"Wow, that's so loud it's almost deafening," Stephanie observed. "But it's also too bad, because Mick, it's not in your power to fire me. You know that. I gave you a golden opportunity. Don't turn this into a cheap joke. _I want a name right now!"_ she yelled, her temper reaching its breaking point.

" _It's you, Stephanie_!" Mick shouted back at her.

"It can't be me," she shot back.

" _You're the one who deserves to go._ You're the _only one_ who deserves to go," Mick pointed out. "You look at our Superstars, and you treat them like jokes. Like cattle... _they're human beings!_ They're human beings, and you have to understand one thing: before I made this decision, you have to know how much I valued our friendship of eighteen years. I _treasured_ it! I _treasured_ it, Stephanie.

"But I go back six months ago when you looked me in the eye. You looked me in the eye, and you _swore_ you had nothing to do with Triple H's interference. And I said to you, Stephanie, 'I believe you. I have to believe you because if I don't, that makes you a really good liar and a really bad person.' And I'm telling you right now, I'm looking into the eyes of a really good liar, and a really bad person, and you need to go."

" _Goddamn_ ," Renee commented. "Mick's dropping all the bombs tonight." She looked over at Jory, who was leaning forward now, almost rigid with tension. In the ring, Stephanie was scowling now. This wasn't going the way that she had intended; she should have known that Mick would blow such an easy task.

"All along," Mick continued, "it was you and your husband, Triple H, in collusion. He considers himself a creator? He's not a creator of WWE Superstars. He's a creator of his own personal army. Going his way, doing things to make sure he can run roughshod over our roster..."

" _You wanna find out just how bad I can really be, Mick?"_ Stephanie snarled, cutting him off, getting in his face. "You're pathetic. You're weak. What happened to your fortitude? Why don't you reach down deep inside and find it?"

"I will _not_ be silenced, Stephanie. I will not be silenced because your husband..."

On cue, the familiar sounds of Motorhead blared through the arena, and the lights went green.

" _Fuck!"_ the women erupted. Jory was concerned now; the other girls could see it written all over her face. In the ring, Stephanie cocked her head. Mick removed the microphone from his lips. He looked past Stephanie to see Hunter walk out, dressed in a grey suit and a black button-down shirt with the first three buttons undone. _Of course, Hunter would be here tonight,_ Mick thought to himself. He sighed. _Oh, well. In for a penny, in for a pound, right?_ At this point, his only hope was that Jory wouldn't let him down at _WrestleMania_ , that by some miracle Seth would make it to the grand stage to exact his revenge on "The Creator". Mick was far too aware that the hardcore style he'd become famous for had also left him too far gone to wrestle in any kind of capacity. Seth and Jory were his only hopes, two avenging angels looking to right some heavy duty wrongs.

Hunter strolled down to the ring with confidence, his head high and his shoulders back. There was a confident swagger in his step. Mick was almost bitter at Hunter's movements; he couldn't remember a day where he didn't wake up in pain. But Mick would never trade his career for anything. He was proud of his body of work, of every drop of blood and every ounce of sweat that he left on every continent during his twenty-plus year career. No matter what Hunter and Stephanie said to him, their hurtful words and acidic barbs, they could never take that away from him. They could never take away the Hall of Fame ring he kept in a beautiful box on his nightstand. To him, that ring made their words worthless.

Microphone in hand, Hunter got into the ring to join Mick and Stephanie. Hunter had his suspicions that things with Mick were going to end like this. He'd told Stephanie so when she'd hired him. For a man who had done the things that he had, Mick was surprisingly sensitive, and everybody knew it. Mick was always trying to the best thing in general, not for the business as a whole. As impressed as he was that Mick had the gall to pull off the underhanded stunt that took place the week before, Hunter still wanted to punch him in the face. Hunter resisted the urge to wrap his hands around Mick's neck and strangle him for putting his wife in the ring against Jordana at _WrestleMania._ By the time the night was over, he knew Mick was going to be out of a job. Earlier in the night, Stephanie had assured Hunter that Mick could handle the assignment, but Hunter knew better. He'd known Mick for over twenty years. Leopards don't change their spots.

"This is going to get a hell of a lot worse," Bayley mused. Jory nodded.

"Heh, Mick, if you've got something to say to me, say it to my face," Hunter told him as the music faded and the green lights disappeared. Showing no fear, Mick shambled over to him.

"I'd be happy to. I just didn't know you really existed. I thought you just kind of hid in the shadows." Hunter held back his laughter as the crowd – and every woman but Jory – gasped.

"You know, it's funny that no one can ever find me, but I'm everywhere...I...I wonder: do you guys really look?" he asked. "Do ya? I'm not hiding, Mick. I'm running a business. And you should be happy that I have a business sense. You know why? Because that business sense makes it so that I don't want a lawsuit three weeks before _WrestleMania_. And me not wanting a lawsuit means that I don't rip your badly in need of a hip replacement leg off and beat you senseless with it."

"Wait...you're saying you're going to rip my leg off and beat me with it?" Mick asked. "Or are you going to assign that task to Samoa Joe? Because that seems to be the way you roll these days."

"Shit!" Nia and Renee blurted in unison.

"I should go out there. I should..."

"You're not going to do anything, Jory. All you'd do is put yourself in even more danger," Nia pointed out.

"Nia's right," Renee pointed out. "You're going to stay put if we have to hold you down."

"You're a fun little nostalgia act, aren't you? You wanna read off the name of the city from your hand now?" Hunter mocked. Jory's eyes narrowed. "Get a cheap pop, right here in Detroit?" Hunter looked to the crowd, a goofy expression on his face as he stole Mick's act in front of him. The crowd roared. Hunter took two steps forward, his thumb up. " _Last go at the Joe!"_ Stephanie remained silent, and it was obvious to everyone in the locker room that she was still seething with silent rage at Mick's insubordination.

"I would have never brought you back here, Mick," Hunter informed him. "You know why? You know why I work so hard at creating the future? It's so I don't have to look at pathetic has-beens like you anymore.

"If it was up to me, I never would have brought you back here, but Stephanie...Stephanie has a big heart." Jory snorted. Mick looked at Stephanie, whose face conveyed the complete opposite look one would have expected to see at such a statement. "Stephanie has a big heart, and for some reason, Mick, for some reason...you amuse her. She likes you. She does, and it might be hard for you to believe at this moment, but Steph actually _really likes you_.

"Which is why I wanna give you some advice right now: Do not mistake Steph's heart – do not mistake Steph's heart for a lack of being able to do what it takes. She is every bit the businessman...business _woman_ that Vince taught her to be, and then some, and Mick, right now, you are running dangerously close to having to go back to dragging your beat up, worn out body around the globe, trying to tell your stupid stories about the man you used to be."

"Stephanie will grant that I have the respect of the _Raw_ Superstars. They respect me. They like me, and I think they envy me," Mick replied. "Because, unlike them, I don't have to pretend that I like you, Triple H."

"Holy shit." Nia blinked. In the ring, Hunter smirked; it wasn't on the list of the meanest things he'd heard said about him over the years. "I don't need you, and I don't need this company," Mick reminded them, "and if I've gotta travel the globe and drag my pathetic body, I will because I happen to enjoy it. At the end of the day, you may look at me and think I'm a pathetic guy with a missing ear..." He reached into his mouth and pulled away his dentures, "...and missing teeth. But I see someone who can look in a mirror and like what he sees in the reflection."

"Don't get me wrong, Mick," Hunter cut in. "I'm sure when you look in the mirror there's a splendid sight." He laughed. "And I'm happy that it...works for you, and you're okay with that. I just wonder...I really wonder...how your kids will feel about that?' Like Mick, Jory felt all the air sucked out of her at the mention of Mick's children. She hadn't taken them into account, and she was sure that Mick hadn't either. Hunter turned to Stephanie. "You remember Mick's kids, right? Noelle. Heh, Noelle, boy, her _dream_ is to be a WWE Superstar. She wants that more than anything in the world. And Dewey...Dewey works back at the office in Stamford. Maybe Mick will be willing to give him a ride to the Unemployment office. " The crowd gasped. Jory noticed that the fire that had been lighting Mick only seconds ago seemed to extinguish at the mention of his children. "I'm sure they'll forgive their selfish, self-absorbed father for ruining their life. I'm sure of it." He stepped towards Mick, who was almost shaking at the mention of his children. "Does that strike a chord, Mick? Huh?" The crowd was now chanting "We Want Rollins". _So do I,_ Jory thought to herself. _So do I._

"Let me say this into your good ear," Hunter mocked. "Strike a chord, Mick? Huh? Is that pulling on your heartstrings? Your kids, their lives...it should. It should pull on your heartstrings, so I'm gonna tell you what you need to do right now, Mick: you need to tuck your tail between your legs and you need to waddle up that ramp. And when you get back there, you need to have an _epiphany. You need to have a life-altering moment_ where you decide, ' _I love my job_ _and I need it. My kids need me to have my job, I love it, and I can't wait to come to work every Monday_ night. That's what you need to do."

"And then, when you run into Stephanie again, and Mick, she says, 'Jump', then you damn well _better jump, Monkey!"_ His voice raised. " _You understand me, Foley? Now get your ass up that ramp and get the hell out of my ring!"_

"Jesus Christ," Renee murmured. She turned to Jory. "Is that what it was like to be in The Authority?"

"Pretty much."

In the ring, Mick studied the two before shifting carefully, moving towards the corner of the ramp. Hunter and Stephanie turned their backs on him, Stephanie addressing the crowd with nothing but contempt and venom in her voice. "And let that be a lesson to all of you..."

The soon-to-be former General Manager of _Raw_ stopped in the corner, reaching into the waistband of his black sweatpants. The crowd roared. Jory bit her lower lip. _"_ Don't do it, Mick," she said to the TV as if Mick could hear her through the screen. "You're only going to make things worse for yourself.

Across the ring, Hunter and Stephanie had their backs to Mick, oblivious to what he was doing. "Look your boss in the eye, shake their hand, and say, 'Thank you for giving me this opportunity'. And when..."

Incensed that Mick was still in the ring, Hunter stomped towards the WWE legend, grabbing him by the arm and turning him. Mick wheeled on him, stunning Triple H by jamming Mr. Socko into his mouth, locking in the Mandible Claw. The crowd roared in appreciation. Hunter struggled, arms flailing, doing everything he could to escape from Mick's grip, but Mick shoved him against the turnbuckles, pushing him down.

Had Mick been paying attention, he would have seen Stephanie running in to make the save. He would have seen her drop low, bringing her forearm up between his legs and clocking him. Stephanie stood, backing up a couple of steps while Mick slumped against the middle rope, his hold on Hunter broken. Hunter scrambled across the ring, trying to catch his breath. With Mick down, Stephanie went over to check on her husband, pointing at Mick, screaming that he needed to be taken out.

Hunter stood, removing his suit jacket. While Hunter unbuttoned his sleeves, Mick held onto the bottom rope, struggling with the pain. While Stephanie screamed at a scowling and swearing Hunter to rip his head off, Mick lay with his back to them, oblivious to his fate. Hunter rolled up his sleeves and approached...

The sound of thrashing drums and a rock guitar hit the speakers. Hunter stopped in his tracks as the crowd roared. Hunter's eyes narrowed as the stage took on the entrance set up of Seth Rollins. "What the fuck?" Hunter blurted. There was no way Seth was here. He wasn't even going to make it to _WrestleMania_...he and Joe had seen to that.

"He told me he wasn't going to be here!" Jory blurted, her face an unmistakable mask of disbelief. "It can't be."

But Jory and Hunter both saw with their own eyes as Seth emerged through the curtain, in black jeans and a hoodie, on one crutch. He moved quickly for a guy with an injured knee. Hunter watched him, almost amused that Seth would come out on one crutch trying to be some kind of hero. Hunter's only regret at the moment was that he hadn't sent Jordana with him.

Seth reached the bottom of the ramp. He stood at the foot of the ramp, where he had been attacked by Samoa Joe only weeks before, locked in an intense stare-down with the man who had once been a mentor. The man who had once promised him the universe, only to rip it away from him when he had gotten hurt. The man whose support had only been conditional, on the premise that he would be Hunter's one-man army. He'd given up his brotherhood for it. Seth was sure that he would forever be ashamed of the way he burned his world down for a taste at glory.

Hunter opened his arms wide and took a step back, beckoning at Seth to get in the ring. He wasn't worried about him. Not while the guy was still on a crutch. If Seth wanted to play white knight for a crippled has-been like Foley, then that was his hill to die on, as far as Hunter was concerned. Bringing his arms in, Hunter crouched and beckoned for Seth to get into the ring and bring the fight to him as the music faded and the lights went back to normal.

With a grin, Seth pulled the crutch away from his body, holding it away from him sideways. Then, as the crowd roared and screamed around him, he let it drop to the ground. Unzipping his hoodie, he pulled it away to reveal his brand-new T-shirt, fresh off the WWE Shop Presses.

Kingslayer.

"Holy shit." Jory was leaning even further forward, her head on her hands. _That's kind of hot_ , she thought to herself. Renee looked at her, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Even though she was choosing not to divulge any details about her new relationship with Seth, it was clear to Renee that Jory was quickly falling in love with the former poster child of The Authority.

To Hunter's surprise, Seth broke into a run, sliding into the ring, and the brawl was on as the crowd came to life. Exchanging blows, Seth quickly gained the upper hand, leaving Hunter slumped against the ropes, the way Foley had been only moments before. Preening for the crowd for an instant, Seth dropped Hunter with a kick to the abdomen. Hunter hit the canvas, face-down. Pointing at the _WrestleMania_ sign, Seth looked at Hunter before running at him, hitting him with a dropkick that knocked the COO out of the ring. The women were screaming and cheering.

Arms wide, Seth was beaming in the middle of the ring. It felt great to be back. He felt bad having to lie to Jory and tell her that he wasn't going to be there, but he didn't want anyone else to find out. The element of surprise was what he had been banking on, and it was paying off beautifully for him.

"You want me?" Seth shouted, beckoning for Hunter to get back inside the ring. "Let's do this thing! What are you waiting for, huh?"

Hunter was standing at the foot of the ramp now. Stephanie stood between Hunter and Seth, beside the ring. Hunter staggered back a few steps as the crowd chanted "Rollins" all around them. Seth looked at the _WrestleMania_ sign while Hunter slowly moved towards the fallen crutch. It wasn't a sledgehammer, but it was going to have to do. He quickly got back in the ring, ready to use the crutch as a weapon.

Seth dropped Hunter with a punch, the crutch falling out of Hunter's hand. Pulling away, he moved to fly off the ropes, only to be dropped by the crutch to his stomach. Backstage, Jory felt her stomach drop into her feet once more. The feeling didn't get any better as Jory and Renee watched Hunter swing the crutch into Seth's knee as if he were swinging a baseball bat. Jory and Renee winced when they saw that Hunter had bent the crutch on Seth's injured knee. While Seth writhed and screamed on the canvas, Hunter began to unbutton his shirt. Stephanie was screaming that Seth was never going to make it to _WrestleMania_ at ringside, cheering on her husband.

"No, no, no, no..." Jory chanted over and over.

Turning Seth over, Hunter began stomping at his knee. Every instinct Jory had was to run out there and fight, but she knew better. They had the upper hand; it wasn't going to do a whole lot of good if both of them got sent to the hospital. There was no telling what Stephanie would do to her if she got her hands on Jory. Hunter locked in a submission hold, dropping to the mat, refusing to release it. Seth was screaming in agony.

"Come on, Seth!" Hunter taunted. "Come on!"

To Seth's relief, referees swarmed the ring, forcing Hunter to release the hold. Seth held his injured knee, howling as the referees checked on him. At the corner of the ring, Hunter held up the bent and battered crutch, before tossing it beside Seth's mangled body. With an arrogant smirk, Hunter got out of the ring and made his way backstage with Stephanie.

"He's not making it to _WrestleMania_ ," Hunter told her confidently. They walked together to the backstage area. "You do that to Jordana next week, and she won't, either. That's what's best for business."

* * *

Long, agonizing minutes after Hunter and Stephanie disappeared, Seth finally managed to think about moving. Every position he was in felt excruciating. Having his knee to his chest hurt, but stretching it out was pure agony. Rolling carefully underneath the bottom rope, Seth used the middle one to prop himself up in a sitting position, his injured leg stretched out on the apron, his one good leg danging off the apron. Around the ring, referees swarmed him, trying to do what they could to help, but their presence only seemed to annoy Seth.

Running a hand through his wet black hair, Seth huffed. This was not the return that he had hoped for; in a perfect world, he would have made Hunter look stupid. It would have been Hunter in his position, struggling to move on an injured leg. In a perfect world, Seth would have been the one throwing a crutch at Hunter, for _him_ to use.

"Are you okay, Rollins?" referee Jack Doan asked.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Fine," Seth snapped. Gingerly, he brought his injured leg down to the ground. He attempted to use the apron to move, but once he put his weight down on his leg, he buckled, falling to the ground. Referees swarmed him. In anger and frustration, Seth punched the LED apron beside him.

"Let us help you," Jack pleaded. Ignoring his plea, Seth propped himself back up on one leg, using the apron to help him move. When he reached the end of the ring, he allowed the referee to help him to the barricade. A fan in a hooded jacket wrapped his arm around Seth's torso, patting him on the arm. "Come on, Rollins, let us help you..." the referee pleaded, but Seth was having none of it.

"Shut up. Shut up," Seth barked at him. "I've done this a couple times before, all right? Just shut up!"

The crowd began to cheer and applaud. Looking up, Seth felt his heart sink as Jory walked down the ramp. _As usual, she looks beautiful_ , he thought to himself. He noticed that she wasn't wearing any shoes. As happy as he was to see her, this wasn't the way that he wanted her to see him, beaten down and defeated, humiliated. He didn't want her to see him as a failure, and at that moment, he _despised_ Hunter for making him feel so low, once again.

Jory was down the ramp quickly, at his side. He knew that she had to be mad that he had lied to her, but if she was, he couldn't see it on her face. Wedging herself in between Seth and Jack, she surprised Seth by draping his arm around her shoulders. He looked at her. "Jory..."

"I got you. We're in this together, remember?"

Seth was touched by her words. He let go of the barricade, and she moved carefully, helping him up onto the ramp. The referees were around them, Jack grabbing Seth's arm and draping it around his shoulders. Seth opened his mouth to protest, but Jory's fingers digging lightly into his side kept his mouth shut. "Let them help, Seth."

Clamping his mouth shut, Seth decided for once to just follow her lead.

* * *

Jory wasn't at all surprised to learn that Seth had traveled alone, and it didn't take having the brain of Albert Einstein to know that he was going to have trouble getting back to the hotel. With Seth down in Orlando in rehab, Jory had taken to traveling and rooming with Bayley on the taping loops. With everything she'd seen, Bayley was more than fine with Jory leaving her to take care of Seth. It was unspoken between them that Jory would be spending the night with Seth, leaving Bayley by herself.

 _So much for a sweet reunion,_ Jory thought to herself bitterly, changing out her high heels for a pair of black ballet flats. She grabbed her bag and ignored Nia's rapid-fire questions as she walked out of the women's locker room.

It was a long, quiet drive back to the hotel. Jory thought about saying something to Seth about his surprise return, but it was clear from the look in his eyes that Seth wasn't in any mood to talk. It was clear to her that he was uncomfortable, but instead of saying a word, she kept her eyes on the road in front of them. On the radio, Paramore played at a soft volume. Seth stared out the window of his rental car, his expression dour, his shoulders curved in what Jory placed as despair. Once again, Hunter and Stephanie had found a way to make them miserable.

In the silence, Jory thought about Mick, now out of a job. It was hard for her to not feel like it was her fault. He had stuck his neck out for her; they both knew that it was going to end like this, but Jory wished it hadn't. She'd found Mick before she left, tears in her eyes, full of apologies, but Mick wasn't hearing it.

"I did this because I believe in you," he had told her, before going to the trainer's room to get his hip looked at.

 _When he realizes his faith has been misplaced..._ Jory thought to herself. With a sigh, she turned into the parking lot of the hotel, surprised to find Renee and Roman talking out front. She realized quickly that once again like they had back in January, they were waiting for them.

Pulling her car to a stop underneath the awning, Jory got out of the car. "I really feel like I should be paying you guys for this at this point," she commented, rounding the front of the car. She came to a stop to Renee's left.

"Give me your keys, girly," Renee greeted.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Your keys," Renee said, wiggling her fingers and rolling her hazel eyes. "You go and get checked in. Roman and I will get the car packed, the bags, and your man. You know the drill – we're going to need the keys right away." Knowing that Renee was right, Jory nodded.

"Keys are still in the ignition."

"You owe us breakfast!" Roman shouted after her.

"Let me get through tonight first!" she shouted back at him, walking through the sliding glass doors, going for the credit card she had stuffed into her bra at the beginning of the night.

While she checked in, Jory turned her head to see Roman helping Seth through the sliding door. Grabbing her room key from the front desk agent, she rushed over to Renee and grabbed her bag. "We're on the ground floor this time," Jory told them. "We're just down this hallway here."

"Thank God. Seth's put some weight on in his time off," Roman cracked.

"Go fuck yourself," Seth snorted.

"Someone's salty. How do you do it, Jory?" Roman asked.

"You can let me go now – I'm fine," Seth told him angrily.

"Not on your life, brother. Come on – not far now," Roman encouraged. Up ahead, Jory had opened the door to the room, holding it open for everyone. Renee was the first one inside the room, dropping the bags off beside the desk. Roman and Seth were through next, Roman leading Seth to the bed so he could sit down. "Breakfast tomorrow morning – the four of us," Roman told them, pointing between Seth and Jory.

"I'm buying," Jory said. She said goodnight to the duo and shut the door behind them. Seth sighed on the bed.

"That guy really knows how to piss me off," Seth snorted.

"Is Dean better at it?" she asked.

"Dean's got it down to a fucking science," Seth informed her. She wheeled Seth's suitcase to the bed. She sat down beside him, the two of them falling silent for a few moments.

Turning to him, Jory was surprised when Seth kissed her, an intense, rough kiss that lasted until she had to pull away and catch her breath. "Wow..." She felt heady. "What was that for?"

"It's what I should have greeted you with," he confessed.

"How bad is it?" she asked, cocking her head towards his knee. Seth sighed.

"It hurts, but Hunter really should have done a better job," Seth told her. "I'll probably be sore for a couple days, but it's not going to keep me from getting my hands on him at _WrestleMania_."

They fell quiet again. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I really didn't want to risk it getting out..."

"It's okay. I understand." It stung a little bit, but she understood. With the way the business operated, it was hard to pull off a surprise. "I really wanted to run out and help."

"It wouldn't have done any good."

"I know. The girls weren't going to let me leave the locker room." She looked down at her hands. "Mick stuck his neck out for me, and all it got him was the ax." Seth reached out and put his hand over hers.

"He knew what he was doing. We talked about it."

"I'm not worth it..."

"You are. He agreed. Mick is going to be fine. Mick saved his money. Hunter can threaten his kids, but his kids will end up making it on their own merits." Seth shook his head. "Mick knows the truth – this needs to happen. The only way that we can make this mean something for Mick is to humiliate both of them at _WrestleMania_." Jory nodded. She knew that Seth was right, but she still felt so guilty that Mick lost his job. "Now...I hate to do this, but do you think you could help a guy up? I don't know if I can ever remember a time where I've looked forward to getting into my pajamas and watching TV."

"Of course." She stood, helping him to his feet. "When you get out, I'll get the cold pack going."

"You sure think of everything." He kissed the side of her head. He assured her that he could walk, removing his hand from hers and walking to the bathroom. She watched him limp, her lips in a tight line. _If he says he'll make it to WrestleMania, he'll make it to WrestleMania. Nobody knows better than him._

"Hey."

Jory looked up, pulled out of her thoughts by the sound of his voice. "Yeah?"

"You're really going to make me do this alone?" he asked with a grin. Jory laughed.

"I'll meet you in there." When he disappeared, she dug out her first aid kit before following after him.


	36. The Balance Shifts

**Chapter 35:**

 **The Balance Shifts**

* * *

There was an obvious cloud of tension that seemed to hang over the arena when Jory arrived at _Raw_ , hand-in-hand with Seth. With six days to go until _WrestleMania 33_ in Orlando, Jory had a busy week ahead of her. _WrestleMania_ week was considered Hell Week by many in the company, based on the sheer number of promotional and media appearances, ceremonies and shows that take place in a span of nine days. After _Raw_ , Jory and Seth were on their way to Orlando; from there, their _WrestleMania_ week was in full swing. Jory and Seth both had meet and greets scheduled at the _Axxess_ festival. Seth had to do some radio appearances, while Jory was spending her Wednesday at a library with Mark Henry and Dana Brooke to encourage the young fans to read as many books as they could get their hands on.

If there was a day that she was the most nervous about in her busy week, however, it was Friday. That was going to be an extremely busy day; Michael Hayes had shot her a DM on Twitter to let her know that she was booked to do an Orlando morning news show with Seth. If he was nervous about it, he wasn't showing it, but Jory knew he had a thousand other thoughts running through his brain. After the appearance on Friday, they had to separate so Seth could do another radio interview. Jory was getting together with Renee, Nia, Bayley, and Sasha to get ready for the Hall of Fame. Saturday was NXT TakeOver – she had a front row seat with Seth, and then Sunday was the big day, a day she honestly thought would never come with the way her career had been only months before. _It's funny how things can change so drastically in a year. This time 365 days ago, I only had Renee, everyone hated me, I was alone. It's so crazy_.

She walked hand-in-hand with Seth, the two of them dressed in matching Kingslayer T-shirts, Jory's cut and modified in a way that made it look like a midriff-baring halter top. Tight navy blue jeans, brown knee-high leather boots, and a high ponytail completed her look. Seth had stared at her for so long when she emerged from the bathroom that she wondered if she had messed up her hair or dropped something on her shirt, but he'd been quick to assure her it was a "hot look". To Jory, it was a show of solidarity, to go on TV in his T-shirt, a silent proclamation that the two of them were in this fight together, that no matter the outcome, they had each other's backs. She looked over at Seth, who was still using a crutch to move around.

Jory wouldn't say it out loud because she knew Seth was still stinging from the attack last week, but she had her concerns that the price of this feud was going to be too high for Seth, that from a physical standpoint he wasn't ready to face Hunter at _WrestleMania_. Anyone who asked, he assured them that he was fine, but Jory saw him behind closed doors, constantly icing his knee and arguing with doctors. A week ago, he'd told her that he'd be fine in the morning; now, with six days to go until the big event, he still needed the crutch to get around.

Seth looked over at Jory and flashed her a tight smile that did little to untangle the knot of anxiety in her stomach. It had been a long morning for her; their relationship was officially public – _thanks a lot, Renee,_ Seth thought – and Jory found herself bombarded by friends, colleagues, and fans. Everyone they worked with was supportive, but the fans were split down the middle about the two of them being together. The negativity didn't bother her – she was used to it; people have called her worse than a gold-digger and a whore – but she ended up having to mute her phone because it was going off constantly. On top of everything, Seth knew she still felt guilty about what happened to Mick the week before. It didn't matter how many times he or Mick explained it to her that it wasn't her fault, she still felt awful about everything.

They stopped to sign autographs and take pictures with fans, with a few of them asking Seth if he was still good to go for _WrestleMania_. Jory listened to Seth assure them that he was fine, that everything was good. She wanted to believe him. With _WrestleMania_ so close, she knew that it meant everything to Seth to get his revenge on Hunter. Mentally he'd been ready for months; it was everything else that remained a wild card.

"You've got this, you guys!" one fan shouted at them from the back of the crowd.

"Kick that bitch's ass at _WrestleMania_ , Jordana!" a woman down the line in a Roman Reigns T-shirt yelled out.

"I'm certainly going to do my best," Jory promised. Breaking away from the crowd, the two of them walked towards the door. Seth draped his free arm around her shoulders. It slowed her pace down, but she didn't care. Behind them, she could hear cheering and a few jeers at the sight of Seth putting his arm around her. She wasn't stupid; she knew the female fan-base could often be rabid; she'd seen it firsthand with Renee plenty of times. At one point, they used to compare death threats, through both their Twitter accounts and their fan mail.

The two of them stopped by the match card, and Jory saw she had a match against Alexa Bliss. It was Stephanie's last call to soften Jory up before the grand event, and she was going to take advantage of the opportunity. Jory wasn't at all concerned about Alexa; she'd proven Alexa wasn't a threat in her eyes. She knew that Stephanie couldn't be happy that Jory had made their replacement look bad, but it wasn't Jory's problem anymore.

"You got a date for the Hall of Fame?" Seth asked. He saw that he had a segment in the ring with Hunter.

"Going stag. How about you?"

"So far, I am. Unless you wanna go with me? I mean, it's cool if you don't want to..."

"No, no. That sounds great. I guess we can work out the details through the week...I mean, since we're rooming together, I guess it only makes sense, right?"

"Right. We probably should have talked about that sooner," she said with a laugh.

"Things have been nuts," Seth reminded her. She nodded. "It works. I can't think of a better date. You?"

"Not off the top of my head." He laughed.

"You're so great for my ego," he teased. "Anyway, I need to go and talk to Roman. I'll see you later tonight."

"Okay. Be careful. Six days to go – they're capable of anything." Seth nodded.

"You, too. Don't underestimate Steph." Seth leaned in and kissed her quickly. He pulled back and grinned at the stunned expression on her face. "I guess that's one way to keep you quiet. I'll see you later." With that, Seth turned and walked away. She watched him turn left, disappearing from her view.

"Oh, girl..."

"Shit." Jory's shoulders curved. Turning, she saw Nia standing behind her. "Don't start, Nia."

"Don't tell me not to start. You've been telling me there's nothing going on..."

"Could you not make a scene?"

"Seth Rollins just kissed..."

"I know." It was on the tip of her tongue to say they'd done more than that, but she knew that would be opening a whole other can of worms that she was in no mood to get into. Jory walked past her, heading towards the women's locker room, dragging her bag behind her. Nia followed close behind.

"I want details."

"There's nothing to tell. We're just kind of...feeling things out."

"I bet you've felt..."

"Stop. Wow. I thought Renee was bad, but you're the absolute worst," Jory said, pushing the door to the locker room open. Sasha Banks and Bayley were talking in the corner. They gave Nia and Jory a glance and a curt nod before they went back to their conversation. "I'd stay and talk, but I'm headed to makeup."

"Don't walk away from this. I want details. I live vicariously through you!" Nia shouted at her retreating figure.

"Nia, don't be creepy." With that, Jory was gone.

* * *

"Mick!"

He turned to see Jory approach him, his mouth curving into a smile as she made it to him, her hand touching his left shoulder. "Oh my God, Mick, what are you doing here? I thought..."

"I don't know what I'm doing here," he confessed. "I thought last week was my curtain call, but I got this message from Stephanie that she expected me here tonight." He held up a white envelope tied with a red ribbon and bow. "They've given me this to read on the air."

"Mick..."

"I know how it goes with this family, Jordana. This is kind of one last indignity on my way out. I've done this before," he assured her. "I've been doing this since you were a toddler with these guys, Jordana."

"I'm so sorry about everything..."

"Hey. What did I tell you last week? None of that, okay? None of this is your fault." Mick put his giant hands on her shoulders and ducked his head a bit so they were eye level. "You're one of the best talents we have. You're everyone's last hope in terms of giving Stephanie what she's got coming to her. I'm old, I'm broken down..."

"Mick."

"Let me finish, Jordana. I need this time off. If I come back down the line, then that's great. But for now, I need to go. And if I can help you and Seth on the way out, then maybe...just maybe...nothing was in vain. Do you understand what I mean?" he asked her. She nodded. "I know you do. Congratulations to you and Seth, and I'm living vicariously through the two of you. Know that I'm rooting for you both this weekend. But I want you to clean the canvas with Stephanie."

Jory rushed him and hugged tightly. He was like a giant, plaid and Christmas covered teddy bear. He hugged her back just as tight. "Thank you for believing in me, Mick. Thank you for everything you've done for me. I'll never be able to repay you for any of it."

"I just want you to be you," he told her, giving her a pat on the back before pulling back. "So, level with me, since you two are this exclusive item now – how is Seth doing?" He noticed that her face darkened.

"He's staying tight-lipped about everything. I can't get a thing out of him about it, which tells me the man has a plan." She shook her head. "He's been stewing about what happened last week, and I'm sure Hunter's got something planned for him tonight..."

"You be careful. I bet Stephanie has something planned for you, too."

"Oh, I'm counting on that. Especially since she's dispatching Alexa Bliss."

"You've got this." He sighed. "I hate to cut this short, but I need to go..."

"No, it's fine. I'm just on my way to makeup. Good luck tonight."

"You, too, Jordana. If you see Seth before I do, tell him the same."

"I will."

"And no guilt. We all do what we have to do." She nodded, her lips pulling into a thin line when Mick turned to leave. She watched him until he disappeared from her view, the sympathy she felt swelling as she watched him limp away. Then, she turned and left to find the makeup area.

* * *

"So, you and Seth Rollins are official now, are you?"

"Oh, look, it's WWE's resident messy bitch. Thanks for blasting that all over Twitter this morning. I've never hated any sound more than I've hated the sound of my phone going off today," Jory told her with a roll of her eyes. In the seat beside her, dressed in a black halter romper, Renee laughed and clapped her hands.

"Oh, give me a break. I've been good," she insisted. "I've had my suspicions about the two of you ever since you posted that picture..." Jory went to shoot her a look, but one of the makeup artists, Leslie, chimed in.

"Oh, that was a great photo. I know which one you're talking about. Hair game on point."

"Was that in his bed?" Renee asked, closing her eyes so makeup artist Lindy Sue could start working.

"Nope. Mine." Jory shut her eyes so Leslie could get to work.

"Did he take the picture?"

"Nope. My best friend."

"Who?"

"It's not important, oh my God."

"Dean said it was a good look, but an awful T-shirt."

"He would. You know, in all of this, I forgot how much your husband hates the two of us."

"He doesn't hate you," Renee reassured her. "I mean, he doesn't like you very much, but I wouldn't call it hate. I don't even think he hates Seth. Dean just takes everything so personally. I think he'll forgive Seth at some point, though. Those three are connected forever, whether they like it or not."

"You really think that will happen? Because Seth thinks hell will freeze over first."

"He will. I've been seeing the way he's been following you two. He's still angry, but I think he's listening to what you guys are saying," Renee told her. "It just...Seth hurt Dean so deeply."

"I know he did," Jory said with a sigh. "Seth and I...we've got a lot to atone for, for everything that we've done. But I think Seth still has some skeletons he needs to face. Dean being on _SmackDown_ doesn't really help with that. But he's come a long way. I can see it. Seth's not the same man he was when he came back last year. I guess it takes some people longer than others. I probably wouldn't be where I am if they hadn't decided Nikki Bella was going to replace me."

While Lindy Sue grabbed another brush, Renee looked over at Jory. In the middle of all the chaos, Renee was surprised that all she could sense was serenity radiating from Jory like a halo. With everything she'd been through, everything she'd experienced, and the things that lay ahead, from what Renee could tell, Jory seemed grounded.

"You and I have an interview before your match tonight."

"Thanks for the heads up."

"Are you gonna wear that for it?"

"Why not?" Renee grinned. Jory didn't have to open her eyes to know it. "Stop."

"I mean..."

"Seth and I are in this together. We're both aware of that. There's no reason why we can't support each other."

"How much support...?"

"You're not allowed to hang around Nia anymore, oh my God."

"Are you two going to the Hall of Fame together?" Renee asked. Jory sighed. "Oh my God, yes!"

"You had better promise me that this isn't going to become a thing where I go to buy a dress and you guys start hammering me with super personal details," Jory said with a groan. Renee laughed.

"How could you accuse me of such a specific thing?" Renee asked. Jory went to turn her head, but Leslie chastised her for moving her head.

"Because I know you."

"Can you at least tell me how long you two have been a thing?"

"I don't know...the concert, I guess..."

"I knew it! I freaking _knew it!"_ This time, it was Renee's turn to be chastised for moving. "I could totally sense something up with you when you came back to TV after."

"Oh, you could not."

"I could. You had that _glow..."_

"Don't..."

"You know the glow, right, Lindy Sue?"

"I do."

"I'm lost," Leslie said.

"It's the glow of someone getting it on the regular," Lindy Sue offered. Jory groaned. She wished the floor would open up and swallow her whole.

"You looked like you got it good. So...?"

"Fuck off, Renee. I'm not saying another word." The other three women laughed. "I need better friends."

"You love me."

"I'm wondering why right about now."

"Have you got any ideas for what you want to do on Sunday?" Leslie asked.

"I'm just waiting on a picture of the finished gear. I'm starting to get nervous. I should have had it by now."

"Once you get it, text me a picture, and I'll see what I can do for makeup and hair from there."

"Thanks. You're the best."

"I know, dear. But it's always nice to hear."

* * *

"Oh, isn't that cute? You're wearing his T-shirt tonight."

Renee's question died on her lips as Hunter stepped into the frame, dressed in a grey suit with a white button-down shirt that had the first three buttons undone. On the other side of Renee's microphone, Jory stood, her lips pursed into a narrow line. Unsure of what to do with her hands, she crossed her arms over her chest, shifting her weight onto her left foot. It was important for her to show no fear; she kept her face stoic, disguising her anger and disgust at the mocking tone in his voice.

"What do you want?" she asked sharply. Hunter was incredulous.

"Wow. Look at you, finding your backbone all of a sudden," he told her with a derisive laugh. "I'm here because I know your _man_ is watching tonight. Congratulations on that, by the way."

"I'm sure you really care," she told him, but he kept talking.

"And see, I meant what I said about not wanting a lawsuit, about not wanting things to come back on me for what I am going to do to Seth Rollins if he chooses to face me at _WrestleMania_. So, if he wants a match with me so bad, if he really, _really_ wants it, Jordana, then he can come to the ring tonight and sign a Hold Harmless Agreement. You know what that is, don't you? Why don't you explain it to the people watching at home?"

Renee moved the microphone to her, and she wanted to smack Renee upside the head. "It means Seth doesn't have a legal leg to stand on if he's hurt in the match."

"Look at the big brain on Jordana. I always thought you were smart."

"If you were smart, Hunter, you'd sign one, too."

"If you were smart, you'd watch your back."

"Huh...?"

It was all Jory got out before her world faded to black.

* * *

Jory lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling of the hotel room. Beside her, Seth was fast asleep. _Typical guy. Gets some and then checks out,_ she thought with a roll of her eyes. She was jealous; it was almost four in the morning, and Seth would be pushing her up and out to get in a workout within the next two and a half hours. At this rate, he'd be well rested, and she'd still be awake, wondering why the hell she couldn't fall asleep.

It had been probably one of the most exhilarating and intense sexual experiences she'd ever had. Thinking about it, she couldn't remember a time where she'd ever used it to relieve stress, but she wondered if it was something she should be doing more often. _It's no wonder he crashed out. I just wish I could follow suit._

Seth rolled over, his arm draping across her midsection. He was walking without the aid of his crutch now since it was destroyed at _Raw_. Seth had been in a great mood all night; this time, the crutch had been used as a weapon on Hunter. The fact that he made it out of the show with minimal damage to his knee made him feel good, like his chances of being good to go at _WrestleMania_ had drastically gone up. He'd signed that Hold Harmless Agreement, and it was his intention to make the joke fall back on Hunter. He would show up at _WrestleMania_ , better than he had been before, and he would finally exact his revenge on Hunter for everything he'd put him through.

"Stop it." His words were cloudy with sleep. She sighed.

While Seth rode the high of having a great night, Jory's had been the polar opposite. It had been one of the worst night's she'd had on _Raw_ in a long time. Her match with Alexa didn't take place; her interview with Renee came to a screeching halt when Stephanie assaulted her from behind and knocked her out. Seth had watched from a backstage monitor, helpless as Stephanie straddled Jory's midsection and punched her in the face over and over until she cut Jory open above the eyebrow. By the time they got on the plane for Orlando, it was turning a dark purple, blooming out from beneath the Band-Aid. It had taken four stitches to close the wound. She had been in the worst mood Seth had ever seen. Since coming to on the floor in the interview area, she hadn't held a conversation with anyone. Seth had been afraid to speak to her; just looking at her sideways was asking for a death sentence.

"You wanna talk about it?" he asked with a yawn. He propped himself up, staring at her, loving the way her hair fanned out on the pillow. He only wished that she would smile. He'd done everything in his power to try and cheer her up, but it had been to no avail.

"There's nothing to talk about. I'm going to murder Daddy's Little Princess on the Network this weekend."

Seth nodded. "How's your head?"

"It's killing me, Seth." She fell quiet. "I just...I feel so fucking stupid. This is all my fault. I knew this was going to happen tonight, and for all my talk about keeping your head on a swivel, I couldn't do the same. I mean, how am I going to do this on Sunday? Stephanie was right..."

"No. She got the drop on you tonight," he told her firmly, moving closer to her, draping a leg over hers. She shot him an angry look, but he continued. "She got the drop one night. That's _it_. Hunter got the drop on me last week and blew my return to bits. And it sucks. I know how you're feeling. I know it's the worst. But don't get inside your own head about this. You'll bounce back for Sunday. She got lucky tonight, okay? She had to attack you from behind because if she tried that shit to your face, you would have dropped her."

"I should have known."

"It's over now, Jory. Don't dwell on it. It'll only drive you crazy." They both knew it was easier said than done.

"Do you think we're in over our heads?"

"With what?"

"Everything. All of it."

"All the time. I think it's a perk of the job at this point," he told her. His arm left her midsection, disappearing underneath the blanket to rest across her bare skin. Everything he did for her since _Raw_ ended hadn't done a thing to put a dent in her mood.

"What do you think happens after?"

"What do you mean? After what?"

" _WrestleMania_. I mean, what happens after? What's going to stop Stephanie from coming out on Monday night and just firing me? I'm really amazed she hasn't done that." She sighed, her chest rising and falling heavily. "It's funny. I've been waiting so long for her to get tired of me and cut me loose, and now that she could finally do it, I'm not ready to go."

"You aren't going anywhere. Especially after _Mania_ ," he assured her.

"Who knows who she is going to bring in next," she told him. "We got lucky that Mick was so nice. But the next one...we're probably not going to be so lucky."

"I've heard some rumblings about who it's going to be, and I don't think we're going to have to worry about anything," Seth assured her. Jory gasped as his fingers began exploring her inner thigh. "Just...take a deep breath. Everything is going to work out, okay?" When she didn't answer, he moved his fingers away from where she wanted them the most. "I mean..."

"I know what you're doing." It took everything she had not to smile when she saw the grin on Seth's face. "I didn't tire you out?"

"I obviously didn't tire _you_ out," he pointed out. "I obviously haven't done my job."

"Obviously."

"That sounds like a challenge," he told her, adjusting himself so he was on top of her, underneath the blankets.

"You think a second shot is going to put me to sleep?" she asked.

"It usually works for me." Jory rolled her eyes. Seth was relieved to see her smiling underneath him. The last thing he wanted was for her to fall asleep in a bad mood. It was going to take everything he had in a few hours to make her smile because he knew when she saw her reflection in the mirror, the bruising on her forehead and the Band-Aid above her eyebrow, that she was going to fall back into that pit of anger. He knew it was going to follow her all week long, to every appearance, to every ceremony, and when Sunday came, he knew that Stephanie was going to have her hands full.


	37. Nerves

_**Next chapter is the finale...**_

* * *

 **Chapter 36:**

 **Nerves**

* * *

It was too damn quiet.

Seth and Jory awoke in silence before the sun rose, showering together and getting dressed before they were herded into a black Lincoln SUV. They were on their way to WESH News. The two of them sat in the back of the vehicle in silence, with a cameraman in the row behind them, trying to capture their thoughts and fears two days before professional wrestling's biggest event of the year. Seth was willing to talk, but he noticed that since Stephanie's attack on Jory four days prior, Jory had retreated into herself. She said nothing to the cameras, instead choosing to stare out the window and watch the world pass by. She was dressed all in black, from her leggings to her tunic, to the giant Gucci sunglasses covering half of her face.

"Hey." Seth reached out and put his hand over hers. She looked at him, offering a weak smile. "You okay?"

"Fine. Just...nervous," she confessed quietly.

"Everything's going to be fine," he assured her, but he wasn't a hundred percent sure what she was referring to. _Is she talking about media today, or about the match? I can't tell much with her these days, it feels like._ "I think our first order of business when we get to the studio is finding some good coffee."

"Oh my God, yes!" she exclaimed. He looked over at her and grinned.

"Jordana." The cameraman, a young man named Barry, jumped in, seeing his opportunity to get her to open up a bit. "This is obviously a big weekend for you, heading into _WrestleMania_ with your match against Stephanie McMahon. What are your thoughts going into this weekend?"

"It's a jumble," she confessed. "There's a lot of pressure, especially considering where I was at this time last year." She looked out the window. There was no way the bruising on her face would be gone by Sunday. From a vain and selfish standpoint, she hated that she was going into the big event with markings that makeup probably wasn't going to cover, but she knew there was nothing she could do about it.

"Are you ready for the Hall of Fame tonight?" Seth asked her. She nodded.

"Who are you most excited to see go in?" Barry asked. She smiled.

"Kurt Angle. Kurt's always been one of my favorites," she answered. "I'm excited to see all of them, but Kurt is one of the best ever, and I've been waiting a long time for him to come back."

"I'm with Jory, there. Kurt's one of the best to lace up his boots, period. I'm really looking forward to that." Seth looked out the window. It had been a long journey for him, too, and Jory knew that there was a lot on his mind as well. She worried about his knee; would it hold up in this "unsanctioned" match? Seth had everything to lose, but he was still willing to put it all on the line for a shot at Hunter. Jory couldn't tell if it was admirable or stupid.

The car pulled into the parking lot, and Jory and Seth were quickly ushered out of the vehicle. They moved, neither of them having any time to stop and take pictures with fans who had gathered, holding signs and cell phones. " _I love you, Seth!"_ a young girl screamed at him. Seth acknowledged her with a wave before the two of them disappeared inside the building. Once she crossed the threshold, Jory found she felt even more nervous. What if she said something stupid on live TV? What if she made Seth look stupid?

As if he could sense her fighting all the internal chaos inside her head, Seth reached out and took her hand, giving it a squeeze. "I'm going to tell you what Hunter told me when I became champion," he said, close to her ear. "Fucking _relax._ "

She couldn't help but laugh. Hunter had told her the same thing after she'd won her first championship.

* * *

"I need breakfast."

Seth looked over at Jory, who had her face in her cell phone, her sunglasses on top of her head. The car had just dropped them off at the hotel, and the two of them were in their room. Now that the sun had risen, Seth noticed that Jory was beginning to show some signs of life. It had been a short appearance; once the light on the camera went red, Jory had let her charm loose. Seth thought it went great, and after it was over they stayed behind for a little while to sign autographs and take pictures with fans. It wasn't until they were out of the SUV and inside the elevator at the hotel that he saw her anxiety dissolve.

"That's great. Where do you wanna go?" he asked. She shrugged.

"No idea. You got any ideas?"

"I guess. There's a place just up the block where I used to live. They make a killer omelet."

"Sounds like a plan. At this point, I'd eat dirt if you put enough ketchup on it. Ugh." He could tell by the way her hands shook and the way her foot tapped that she felt restless, like she didn't know what to do with herself. Her phone went off and she began typing quickly.

"What's your day look like?" he asked.

"Busy. I meet Renee and Nia at around one to go and get our hair done, and then we are all going to Nia's room after to get our dresses on and get our makeup done for the ceremony tonight." She looked up at him, and he could see the chaos in her eyes. "Did you want to meet here or in the lobby?"

"For the bus to the Hall?" he asked. She nodded. "We can meet in the lobby. Saves you an extra stop."

"You're right." She sighed as her phone went off again. Before she could look at it, Seth approached her, placing his hands on her hips, forcing her to look him in the eyes. "Seth..."

"Jory, I need you to do me a favor, okay? Take a deep breath. I know it's easy to get overwhelmed..."

"I'm...It's fine. I just...Oh, fuck it. You're right. I'm in my head. She's going to throw everything at me, and there's a good chance that even prepared for that I'm not going to be able to handle it..." She was silenced by Seth's mouth covering hers. She pulled back. "Seth..."

"Would you relax? I know you're nervous, but every other woman is busy at _Mania_ , so the odds of you and Steph having a one on one match is pretty good right now," he told her. The words were supposed to calm her down, but provided her no comfort or serenity; Jory knew how resourceful the McMahon family could be, and she knew they would use any resource necessary to come out ahead in the end.

"And if Hunter runs out and tries to take me out? I mean, he's made it pretty clear that he's got no bones about hitting a woman..." Seth sighed.

"Jory...If Hunter runs out, I'm out. I mean it – we're in this together. He tries anything, and I'll be running down that ramp to take his ass out, okay? He won't make it to you. Over my dead body." Jory nodded, but Seth could tell that she wasn't all that confident. He moved his hands from her hips and pulled her into a hug. "I know. We've been through so much. _WrestleMania_ is almost here, and I know it's hard, but now is the most important time to keep it together. It's important. If Stephanie sees any kind of weakness, then she's going to burrow in there. I know you don't want that."

"You're right. I don't." She let her head fall against his shoulder. He wished they could stay that way for the rest of the day, just the two of them. He wished they could drown out all the chaos around them. But her next words dashed every hope of it happening.

"I need food. Let's go." She untangled herself from Seth's arms and went for her purse. Seth grabbed his keys, his wallet and the key-card to the hotel, placing the Do Not Disturb sign on the door on their way out.

* * *

"Hey, man, how's it going?"

Seth looked to his left as Roman approached, clapping a giant hand on Seth's shoulder. He stood beside his former teammate, the two of them looking out the glass double doors of the hotel. There was a barricade set up on both sides, but they could see fans leaning in with signs. "Not too bad. Happy to be here this year," Seth answered. His eyes fell on a sign that said something explicit about Finn Balor, who wasn't making it to _WrestleMania_. Seth cringed.

Looking to his right, Seth was stunned when Dean fell into place beside him, dressed in a suit that looked far more casual than it should have. But Seth knew Dean; he'd fix himself up on the bus. He didn't like to be formal, and he would stay as comfortable as he could until he had to. The fact that Dean was standing in the same vicinity as Seth and not attacking threw him for a loop; for the longest time, it had been an on-sight basis with Dean.

The three of them stood in awkward silence, their hands in their suit pockets. Roman was waiting for his wife and daughter to come down to the lobby. Renee was already at the hall, hosting the red carpet event for the Network. Seth was waiting for Jory, who was still up in Nia's room.

"Hey, Dean-O," Roman greeted, breaking the tension. Seth nodded.

"Hey, man."

"Brother. Scumbag." Seth kept his expression blank, but he knew which tag belonged to whom. A long time ago, he'd given up hope that Dean would ever understand or forgive the things he'd done. But the fact that Dean wasn't starting a brawl in the lobby told him that maybe someday the two of them could find some sort of even keel. Even if they were never friends again, they could co-exist. Seth realized that it was probably the best outcome he could hope for. "Waiting for your women?" he asked.

"Something like that," Seth answered. "You didn't go with yours?"

"Nah. They wanted me to hang back." There was ice in Dean's tone, but he was cordial. "You ready for Sunday?"

"I think so."

"You better know so," Dean told him with a shrug. "You aim for the crown, motherfucker, you better not miss."

"This kinda feels like old times," Roman commented.

"Not another word about that," Dean told him, shooting Roman a pointed stare. Seth looked over at Roman, who was smiling, and it put Seth at ease. They heard the elevator ding and the three men turned.

Seth's breath caught.

Jory stepped out of the elevator, and it was clear to Seth that she felt out of place. The days of Authority perks being long gone, Seth found that she was uncomfortable being glamorous. Her hair was curled beautifully around her face. The dress she wore was gold, with a deep sweetheart halter neckline and a high slit that went up to her thigh. It shimmered underneath the lobby lights. In her hand, she held an ivory clutch.

She spotted the three men together, and she couldn't hide the surprise on her face. While she knew that Roman and Seth were testing the friendship waters once again, seeing Dean standing with the two of them was an unexpected development. From across the lobby, she could tell that Seth was uncomfortable. Roman looked amused, and Jory presumed it was because he was enjoying the current predicament between his former teammates.

Straightening her posture, she approached them. She was grateful the other girls were wearing elaborate gowns, but it still did little to make her feel like she wasn't overdressed for the event. Approaching the men, she smiled. "Hello, guys. Seth. Roman. Dean."

"Jordana." Dean's greeting was curt. He shrugged. "I'm gonna get on the bus. Later."

Roman followed after him, leaving Seth and Jory alone in the lobby. "Well, I don't see any broken bones, so I guess everything went okay?" she asked, examining Seth with her eyes. He sighed.

"Yeah. It's a bit weird." He pulled her towards him by her hand, kissing her cheek. "You look beautiful."

"You don't clean up too badly yourself," she commented. "You don't think I'm overdressed, do you?"

"You see what Lana's wearing?" he asked. "You are fine. Take a deep breath."

"You're right. I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm so nervous." She smoothed imaginary wrinkles out of the front of her dress. Seth held out his arm for her to take and she linked her arm through it. "I mean, it's just the Hall of Fame. Stephanie's not going to jump me on the red carpet or anything. This is a classy affair."

"Just...deep breath. Everything is going to be okay." Seth gave her a moment to straighten herself up before the two of them made their way towards the door and out to the awaiting bus.


	38. WrestleMania

_**Here it is, guys. The final chapter. Thank you all so very, very much for sticking with me. This is kind of the first big writing project I've started and finished in a very, very hard year and a half, and the support means the world. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you all so very much.**_

* * *

 **Chapter 37:**

 ** _WrestleMania_**

* * *

"Holy shit. This is _incredible_."

Dressed in a sleek sleeveless black dress with a sweetheart neckline that exposed a fair amount of cleavage, Jory stood alone in the middle of the eighty-yard ramp. She studied the giant _WrestleMania_ set in front of her with awestruck eyes. The theme for the event was "The Ultimate Thrill Ride"; the backdrop was designed like the Universal Studios logo with lit-up roller-coasters moving around the giant orb in the middle. It was a cool sight in the daytime, and Jory knew when the sun set and the darkness took over that the set would look _spectacular_. Off the top of her head, she couldn't recall a _WrestleMania_ set that had ever been so vibrant and colorful.

In a matter of hours, in the gear she made special for the night, Jory would walk down the ramp, go to the ring, and have the match of her career. She looked down at the scar that ran along her forearm, one of the many prices she'd been forced to pay on her journey to _WrestleMania_. It was a constant reminder of what she had allowed herself to become, and the consequences she had to face to fully escape her past.

 _WrestleMania 33_ promised to be the biggest night of her career on a number of levels. Along with new gear, she was debuting a new look. She'd gone and had her hair done, and had dark purple added to the under layer. New gear. New music. On this night, Princess of the Authority Jordana Moody was officially dead and buried. The Jordana Moody that drifted and struggled to find herself in the aftermath was with her. In the ashes, something beautiful was about to rise and she knew that whatever happened on this night, for better or for worse, she would make the most of it.

Her match was set to be the first of The Authority fights; Seth and Hunter's unsanctioned street fight was going to be later in the evening. She was worried about the shape of Seth's knee, but he was keeping mum on the subject entirely. If he was in a bad way, he wasn't saying a word about it to _anyone_. Jory's only wish for the evening was that the two of them made it out in one piece, with enough energy to have a shower and a pint of ice cream.

This was their big shot, and she knew it was their last shot to make Hunter and Stephanie pay for every indignity that they had suffered. If they failed, there was no telling what they were going to walk into in twenty-four hours on _Raw_ , if they would even have jobs by the end of the night. Jory knew the stakes were high and the pressure was on; she had to make this count.

Quickly fixing her ponytail, she turned so her back was to the set. Pulling her cell phone out of her bra, she started a live-stream on her Instagram account. Turning her head, she looked back at the sign and smiled; internally, she was overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the show. "This is crazy, guys. _WrestleMania_!" Looking back at the camera, she took a deep breath. "It's the biggest match of my career tonight. After all of this time, after everything I've been through, I'm _finally_ going to get my hands on Stephanie McMahon and make her pay for everything she's done. And I know, if there's anything I've learned in my career, it's that the dumbest thing I can do is count out someone like Stephanie McMahon. She's resourceful; it's what she's built her career on. But I am making a promise tonight...if I don't walk out of this show on my own two feet tonight..then she's not, either."

* * *

"Hey. There's the Woman of the Hour."

Jory looked up at Renee standing in front of her, armed with two Styrofoam cups of coffee. She was dressed in a black sleeveless dress that shimmered, the sleeve on the left side equipped with a giant black ruffle. Her hair was pulled back from her face. There was still time before the kick-off show began, where three matches were set to take place during the seven-hour show. She looked down at Jory, who was getting her hair rolled up in curlers to get a wave for the show. "No pressure," Jory quipped dryly. "Tell me that second coffee is for me and not your husband."

"It's all yours, babe. It's why I'm here." She handed Jory the cup in her left hand and sat down beside her on the chair. They were quiet for a few moments. "You look nervous."

"I am _so_ fucking nervous," Jory blurted. She sipped from the cup.

"You seen Seth at all?"

"Not since we got here. Hayes needed to see him, and I think he wanted to get his knee looked at before the match." She sighed. "I have no idea if he's a hundred percent. He's not saying a word about it. What do you make of it?"

"Based on the Seth Rollins I know? It tells me that he's got a plan and that you shouldn't worry," Renee assured her. "Besides, you've got enough on your plate tonight."

"Hey. Good luck out there tonight."

Turning their heads, Jory and Renee spotted newly minted WWE Hall of Fame inductee Kurt Angle standing behind them, dressed in a black suit, one of his daughters on his hip. Jory shot a look of surprise at a grinning Renee before she returned her gaze to the Olympic gold medallist.

"Thank you so much. That means a lot coming from someone like you," Jory told him honestly. Kurt was considered by everyone he came across to be one of the greatest wrestlers to ever lace up a pair of boots. There wasn't a single person backstage who wasn't excited about the announcement that Kurt was going into the Hall of Fame; Jory was happy to once again see him underneath the WWE umbrella. She'd grown up watching him; he had always been one of her favorites. "Congratulations on your induction last night. So deserved." He rounded the chair so he could face her, extending a hand for her to shake. "I wanted to stop by and introduce myself last night, but you were so busy. I didn't want to bother you."

"It's all good. I'm actually glad I caught you back here before your match. I've been seeing the things you've been doing recently, and I just wanted to say that I'm a huge fan. So is Sophia here."

"Wow." It was all she could say. Sophia stared at Jory with wide eyes, biting her nails.

"You look so pretty," Sophia blurted before burrowing her head into her father's chest. Jory smiled.

"Thank you. Renee and I need to go get our makeup and nails done. Do you want to get your nails done? You can come with us," Jory offered. Sophia looked at her father with wide eyes. Kurt grinned back at her.

"If you want to go with the girls, you can," he told her. She nodded, and Kurt put her down.

"You ladies have fun. I'll let Giovanna know she's with you guys. Good luck tonight, Jordana. You got this."

"Thank you so much, Kurt." Renee and Jory stood, Sophia reaching out to grab both their hands. They began the walk down the hallway towards the makeup area, only a few feet ahead.

"So...I got a scoop," Renee announced, looking over her shoulder to make sure Kurt was out of earshot. Sophia let go of their hands and made a beeline for the first empty chair she saw. Jory couldn't help but laugh.

"What's your scoop?"

"The new boss is a huge fan of yours," Renee told her, nudging her with a shoulder.

"What are you talking about?"

"You're not seriously this dense," Renee told her with a laugh. "Mick's replacement – it's Kurt." Jory's eyes widened. "I overheard Hunter saying that they were finalizing the paperwork tonight. They're going to announce it tomorrow night on _Raw_. He's going to take over as General Manager, and he's going to work under Stephanie."

"You're kidding."

"Nope. You should know by now that I've got ears everywhere, honey." Renee smiled. "And it sounds like you've got an in with the new boss." They sat down in their chairs. "I can't wait to see this gear you had made."

"I'm so nervous."

"I know. But you're going to kill this, and you're gonna look like a bad bitch doing it. And after – you and I are going to go to the after-party and have a big glass of wine."

"Hey, babe."

Renee looked up to see Dean take his place between the chairs, his arms stretched out along the backs. He leaned down to give Renee a kiss on the top of her head. Later on in the night, during the kickoff, Dean was set to defend his Intercontinental Championship against Baron Corbin. He was dressed in a black tank top and blue jeans; he had yet to tape up his wrists and put on his title. Jory never could tell if he had gear he changed into, or if he wrestled in what he wore to the arena.

"Good luck out there tonight," Jory offered. Dean pulled away from his wife, his gaze falling on the brunette. She tensed underneath his gaze. It amused him to no end that she was so nervous around him.

They stared at each other, Dean and Jory, with Renee watching the two of them to see what he was going to say. Dean could be incredibly stubborn, especially when his pride was wounded. Renee was far more forgiving than he was, and while he kept quiet now about her friendship with Jory, in the days after being betrayed, Dean had been her most vocal critic, incredulous that Renee would even consider being her friend.

"Kick her fucking ass tonight, Jory. Do that for me, all right?" He reached out and mussed her hair as best he could with the curlers.

"I'm going to give it everything I've got."

"Good stuff." He flashed her a thumbs up. Bidding the women farewell, he left. Jory watched him leave, eyes narrowed in confusion. She watched him until he disappeared around the corner. She looked at Renee, who shrugged.

"And here you think he hates you," Renee teased.

"I'm not out here saying he likes me." Before Renee could respond, Sophia asked them loudly what color they liked. They all agreed on gold; she wanted to match Jory.

* * *

 _"Style and grace, I'm never gonna be done, lean on in, and welcome to the queendom. The queendom, where the kings bow down..."_

Stephanie McMahon walked through the black curtains, a vision in leather and lace. More than seventy-thousand people jeered at her appearance. Her hair was curled and flared out, reminiscent of her days as a rebellious trust fund princess, her eyes done in thick black makeup. She stood in the middle of the stage, arms raised high, a wide grin on her nude glossy lips. She'd learned long ago that the crowd feared her, feared to see a woman in control of her destiny. They didn't have to like her, but she commanded respect. Their reaction was reserved for the most diabolical of villains, and Stephanie had found peace in their hate so many years ago.

She walked down the ramp with a confident swagger, her shoulders back, head held high. She motioned for the crowd to keep raining abuse on her. Cool, calm, and collected was the mood of the day. Nikki Bella couldn't get the job done. Alexa Bliss couldn't get the job done. She'd been forced into this situation, but it was going to end with her standing over Jordana's prone body. There was no part of her being that entertained the thought of losing; Jordana was inferior in every way – it was why she had been thrown out of The Authority, after all.

Stephanie had caught wind earlier that Jordana was beside herself, riddled with anxiety and doubting herself. _She's afraid of me_ , Stephanie had thought to herself arrogantly. It had been a major inconvenience, the underhanded stunt that Mick had pulled, but once she learned of the match, she was in the gym with Hunter every night, sacrificing hours of sleep to be ready for this night.

Climbing into the ring, Stephanie paced back and forth on the canvas, a smirk pulling at the left corner of her mouth. Sure, Jordana may have gotten the drop on her by getting the match, by getting everything she ever wanted in her shiny new deal with Mick, but Stephanie was going to be damned if Jordana Moody got the last laugh.

* * *

Daniel Bryan found the lovers together, dressed in their ring gears, talking to each other with stoic expressions on their faces. Now that he was retired, _WrestleMania_ was the worst day of the calendar year for him. It was the biggest event of the year, with the biggest crowds; having to stand on the sidelines with the knowledge that he would never again get the chance to compete again killed him in ways he had never fathomed at the time of his retirement.

He approached Seth and Jory. Over the loudspeakers, he could hear Stephanie's music, and he knew that it was only a matter of minutes before Jory walked through the curtains. He could see it on her face; she felt the weight of the match. There was a lot riding on it; she'd sacrificed a fresh start on _SmackDown_ for this.

Looking over Seth's shoulder, Jory saw Daniel approach. Her lips pulled into a tight smile. "Hey," she greeted. Seth turned, bumping fists with Daniel.

"Good luck out there tonight. Both of you. I just want you both to know that I'm living vicariously through you two tonight." Jory flashed him a sad smile; she couldn't imagine how hard nights like these had to be for a man who gave everything to live the dream, who fought and clawed and scratched to reach the top, just to have it ripped away from him in the blink of an eye.

Daniel took in Jory's gear, the rhinestone studded black and gold bodysuit with the rhinestone gold bra peeking out from underneath. The jacket she wore zipped underneath her bust, the train gathered around her ankles, her hair perfectly styled underneath the black and gold hood. Her knee high boots were studded and gold striped like her gear.

"Maybe you can help, man. I'm telling Jory she's got this, but she's not listening to me," Seth told him.

"If anyone can do this, Jory, it's you," Daniel assured her. "You are going to go out there, and you are going to make her pay for every ounce of pain and suffering she has caused everyone she has ever come across. You are going to make her sorry that she crossed you, and you are going to make her feel stupid for replacing you."

"Thanks," she told him sheepishly.

"I know I speak for myself, but I think I speak for Shane here, too, when I say make. Her. Pay."

"Before I go out there...I kind of wanted to ask for something..."

"Shoot."

"With everything she's done to you and Brie...would you mind if I hit her with some Yes kicks tonight?"

Bryan grinned. "Jory, I would be _honored_ if you kicked her fucking head off."

Stephanie's music faded. Jory took a deep breath. Seth put a hand on her shoulder and kissed the side of her head. "It's showtime, babe. You've got this."

Bryan gave her a hug. "This is from Brie. She's watching at home." When he pulled back, she flashed the men a quick, tense smile before she turned and disappeared up the steps, passing through the black curtains. Giving Bryan a pat on the arm, Seth left the _SmackDown_ General Manager, his only objective to find an interview monitor where he could see her match. He didn't want to miss a moment.

* * *

 _"Stuck us in boxes, that's where you want us. Cardboard is boring, we brought our matches. Stuck us in boxes, that's where you want us. Cardboard is boring – look how it burns_."

A wall of fire shot up along the stage. Stephanie crossed her arms over her chest, watching the show at the top of the stage with a bemused expression on her face. The crowd was roaring now, the volume growing louder when the fire lowered to reveal Jory in a crouched superhero pose at the top of the stage.

Rising, Jory pulled her hood back and stood at the top of the ramp for a moment, taking in the moment. She'd never seen so many people in her life. Eighty yards ahead, Stephanie looked composed, like Jory Moody was nothing and nobody. Her nerves wanted to get the best of her, but she put her best game face on before she descended the ramp, her jacket billowing out behind her. Stephanie crouched, beckoning Jory to come and get her. But Jory refused to run; the last thing she wanted to do was wear herself out before she even got in the ring. It was exactly what Stephanie wanted, and Jory refused to give her anything.

Getting into the ring, Jory took her place across the ring from Stephanie, referee Charles Robinson standing between the two of them. Jory unzipped her robe and took it off.

It was too late for Jory to realize that she had made a mistake; the second her back was turned to pass her robe off to the guy at ringside, Stephanie was on her, shoving her against the ropes and choking her on the middle rope. The whole time she choked Jory, Stephanie screamed like a woman possessed. " _You wanted a piece of me? You want a piece of me? You're going to get the whole damn thing!"_

"Back it up, Stephanie. Don't make me count," Charles admonished. "One, two, three, four..."

Stephanie backed away, arms raised. Jory hit the canvas, sputtering and coughing. It was not the start that she had envisioned for the match, but perhaps she should have known.

Gripping the bottom rope, Jory tried to push herself up. Stephanie stomped towards her, grabbing her by the hair. Pulling Jory to her feet, Stephanie swung her across the ring by her hair, Jory hitting the canvas face first. Thinking as quick as she could, Jory rolled out of the ring, hitting the mat outside. It was her hope to get a few moments to catch her breath. Above her, she could hear Charles telling Stephanie to stay in the ring, but Jory knew better – Stephanie was just going to leave the ring on the other side.

She saw Stephanie approaching and tried to slip away so she could find her footing. Stephanie grabbed her ankle, but Jory struggled, bringing her legs up to her chest before shoving forward with all her strength, sending the Billion Dollar Princess tumbling to the mat. Jory propped herself up and began moving back towards the steps. Stephanie was sitting, legs outstretched, an expression of shock on her face that Jory had knocked her on her butt in front of seventy-thousand people.

Stephanie stood, approaching Jory with an ominous look in her blue eyes. "Get over here, you little bitch!"

Grabbing Jory by the hair, she tried to slam Jory's face into the steel steps. She quickly braced her arms on the step before she elbowed Stephanie in the stomach twice to break the hold in her hair. Instead of shoving Stephanie's face into the step, Jory surprised everyone by taking Stephanie down by both legs, landing on top of her boss in a heap, hitting her with all the fury that had built up inside of her for months. Stephanie had no choice but to try and cover her face while Jory swung with precision, catching Stephanie everywhere from her face to her neck to her ribs.

"Jordana, get off her! Get it back in the ring!" Charles bellowed from his spot inside the ring. With an aggravated grunt – and one hard punch to the ribs – Jory got off Stephanie and slid back into the ring. "That's..."

Jory slid back out, forcing Charles to restart his count.

Grabbing Stephanie by the hair, she forced the _Raw_ Commissioner to her feet. "This is for Brie."

 _Bam!_ Stephanie's face bounced off the apron.

"And this one? This one is for Seth."

Her face bounced off the apron again.

"And this one, you ask? This one's for Daniel Bryan."

Once again, Stephanie's face bounced off the apron.

"And this one? This one is all mine..."

Before she could bounce Stephanie's face off the apron one final time, Stephanie surprised her by pivoting, locking around Jory's midsection like a football player making a tackle. Running as fast as she could, forcing Jory backward, Jory felt a bolt of pain shoot up her spine as her back met the edge of the commentary table. Both women spilled to the ground in messy heaps.

Stephanie lay on the padding outside the ring, trying to catch her breath. Sitting up, she saw Jory laid out on the ground, holding her spine with a hand. With a satisfied smirk, Stephanie crawled to the apron and pulled herself up, rolling underneath the bottom rope. Charles was counting Jory out. Stephanie didn't care how she got the win; all that mattered was that she left _WrestleMania_ with a victory.

From her spot, she heard Charles. " _Five...six..."_

She knew she had to move, and she had to move fast, in spite of the pain. No part of her wanted to think about a loss in this situation; a count-out loss felt like an immense let down after she had fought so hard to get this spot. Rolling, Jory made her way towards the ring. _"Seven, eight..."_

Stephanie's dreams of a count out victory went up in smoke when Jory rolled into the ring on nine and a half. She was on Jory, slapping her over and over again. " _I have had enough of you!"_ Stephanie screamed. Getting a good amount of hair in her fists, Stephanie began slamming Jory's head over and over on the canvas. " _Just stay down!"_

Jory was dazed by the time Stephanie let go of her, sliding over her body to cover her for a one count. Jory got her shoulder up as quick as she could, making it clear to everyone that Stephanie still had a lot of work to do if she thought the match was going to go in her favor.

Stephanie pulled Jory up by the hair and whipped her into the corner. Making a run for her, Jory met her with a hard forearm to the face that dropped the McMahon heir to the canvas. Holding onto the top rope for support, Jory brushed her hair out of her face with her free hand and took a moment to catch her breath. Stephanie was holding her face on the canvas, her face covered by her brown hair.

Jory looked around the ring, thinking about her next move. The crowd was wild around her, everyone ecstatic with the sight of Stephanie finally receiving her day of reckoning. Stepping over Stephanie – giving her a kick in the ribs for good measure – Jory moved to the middle of the ring, crouching, preparing herself for Bad Mood Rising.

Stephanie was stirring now, propped up with her hands. Jory ran at her, but Stephanie had her scouted, rolling out of the ring quickly. Jory kicked the turnbuckle, a bolt of pain shooting up from her ankle to her knee. With a cry, Jory hit the canvas. " _Damn it!"_

Sitting, she held onto her ankle, sucking in a painful breath. Stephanie took that moment to run behind her, grabbing her by the head and slamming her face into Jory's knee. Falling back to the canvas, Jory looked up at the lights. Stephanie covered her quickly, this time earning a two count for her efforts. Sitting beside Jory's body, Stephanie slammed her hands down on the canvas in frustration. _It's time to end this_ , she thought to herself bitterly.

Standing, she grabbed Jory by the hair, bringing her head between her legs to set her up for the Pedigree. Jory's ankle screamed in agony. Stephanie hooked her arms, but Jory struggled, throwing Stephanie over her shoulder. She buckled to a knee, but righted herself, careful not to put a lot of weight on her foot. Turning, she saw Stephanie kneeling, her torso exposed. With a slight pivot, Jory kicked Stephanie with her good leg. The crowd quickly realized what she was doing and rained them down with "Yes" chants. Jory reared back and hit Stephanie with the Bad Mood Rising, howling as she landed, clutching her bad leg.

Crawling, Jory draped an arm over Stephanie, a makeshift cover while she tried to move more of her body weight onto the youngest McMahon. Stephanie, to the surprise of everyone, got her shoulder up at two and three-quarters. Jory huffed. She knew what she was going to have to do, and with the way her ankle felt, she knew it was going to suck.

Stephanie was stirring on the canvas now. Rolling Stephanie onto her stomach, Jory used Stephanie's body to help herself stand. She reached for Stephanie's legs. Suddenly alert, Jory felt Stephanie struggle against her, but Jory kept herself composed and focused, tangling up Stephanie's legs in her own before bending backward to catch Stephanie in the Mood Ring.

" _I'm sorry!"_ Stephanie cried out as Jory bent backward. " _Jordana, I'm sorry!"_

"You could be sorrier," Jory told her as she locked in the hold. Jory's ankle was in agony, but she promised herself that she would take herself out if it meant Stephanie got a taste of her own medicine. _"Tap! Tap, you bitch!"_ Jory shouted.

Seeing no way out, Stephanie tapped rapidly. Even though she wanted to keep the hold in, to teach her a bit more of a lesson, Jory let herself buckle down on Stephanie before rolling off, happy to have the weight off her ankle. Her new music blared through the arena. Stephanie had already rolled to the edge of the ring and was being looked at by the staff. Jory could barely see her, thanks to the tears in her eyes.

It had been a long road. All the struggles, all the slings and arrows, and self-doubt...in the end, it had been worth it. Jory knew that her struggles defined her in only the best of ways. She rested against the bottom rope, holding onto her ankle, rolling it. While it hurt, she knew it wasn't broken.

"You okay, Jordana?" Charles asked her. Looking up at him, Jory thought about that night at _SummerSlam_ almost three years before, the lowest night of her career, when everything had come crashing down on Stephanie's command. Through her tears, she smiled.

"I'm fine, Charles. Thank you."

* * *

Despite the pain in her ankle, Jory insisted on walking up the ramp by herself, refusing to give anyone in the crowd the slightest indication that she was less than a hundred percent. She walked up the ramp, taking a second on the stage to stare out at the crowd one last time before she walked through the curtain that took her into Gorilla. When she walked through she was greeted with applause and words of encouragement. She slapped hands with Michael Hayes as she walked through the curtain that led to the backstage area.

When she stepped through, she found Seth, Nia, Renee, and Dean waiting for her. Jory was still undecided about the white and gold color scheme Seth had chosen for his gear. They offered her a round of applause. She couldn't help but blush and laugh. Noticing right away that getting down the steps was a chore, Seth reached out to her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and let him pull her down to the floor.

"I thought you broke your foot," Renee told her.

"It's not broken, but it hurts like a mother," Jory confessed. "It's nothing some ice and rest won't fix, but I'm probably not going to make it out with you later, Seth. You might have to swing for the fences on your own."

"Don't even worry about me – you take care of yourself. I can handle my business just fine," he assured her. The two of them expected Dean to pipe in with some snide comment but were surprised when he remained silent.

"We should get you to the trainer," Renee told her. She nodded.

"I'll try and make it out there tonight," she promised him. Seth shook his head.

"Take care of yourself first." Seth handed Jory off to the ladies, and the trio walked away. Dean and Seth stood beside each other in silence, watching them until they disappeared down the corridor.

The tension between them was thick. Seth wondered how long Dean was going to hold on to the past, if there would ever be a day when the three of them would ever be comfortable with each other again. It had been a long and crazy road to get to this point, and he found the success wasn't as sweet without his brothers. He wished he could have seen it back then; The Shield were a brotherhood. They were a family. And he'd let his greed and his ambition get in the way of all of it. But, like Jory, he wasn't at all surprised to find that forgiveness wasn't as forthcoming when the grass was revealed to be dry on the other side.

"You think Steph's making it out to ringside tonight?" Dean asked.

"It's a possibility. It's rare you see one without the other these days," Seth said with a sigh.

"You got this tonight?" Dean asked. "Now's the time to clear the rocks out of your head."

"You don't have to worry about me, man – I know what I gotta do."

Dean scoffed. "I'm not worried about you. Haven't been since you swung the chair."

"Dude..."

"Just saying. It's bigger than you. You're aiming for the crown tonight – never mind what happens to you when you miss, but what's gonna happen to Jory?" Dean shrugged. "We've done this before. We've been down this road. You and me. The two of us with Hunter. We know what he's capable of. But you became _his boy_. If anyone knows how he works, it should be you. So don't fuck it up." With a hard clap of the hand on the middle of his back, Dean offered him a shrug. "Later, _dude_."

Seth watched him walk away, confused. _Maybe I haven't ruined everything after all._

* * *

Seth stood in the middle of the ring, jaw dropped and eyes wide. Against the ropes, Hunter was beside himself, hands on his head, staring down at his wife, who had just been knocked through a table...by _him._ By her own husband. In his shock, Seth found himself laughing internally; it wasn't going to be a pretty night when Stephanie was up and about. He could already hear her deep voice screaming at Hunter; it rang in his ears like it had so many nights when they were a team. When he thought they had been his friends.

Hunter turned, his expression of disbelief morphed into a look of blinding rage. He ran at Seth. Using Hunter's anger against him, Seth was able to lock in the Pedigree and pin Hunter for the three count.

He had been a little surprised to find Stephanie come out to the ring with Hunter, the two of them on a motorcycle together, Stephanie changed into biker chic fashion. He'd wished Jory had been out to equalize, but he knew that she was in a great deal of pain, probably more than she was letting on.

Resting back on his haunches, Seth took a moment to catch his breath. The last year of his life had been completely insane; if someone had told him last year that he would be facing Hunter, the man who had taken a chance on him and given him everything he could have ever wanted, at _WrestleMania_ in an unsanctioned street fight, he would have laughed in that person's face. He would have thought it crazy that he would re-injure his knee with _WrestleMania_ so close, and somehow still make it back in time.

Rolling out of the ring, Seth only had one thing in mind. He was going to go find Jory. There was going to be an after-party, where everyone could relax before the grind continued the following night, but he knew that Jory had better plans, and he could almost guarantee the plan meant ice cream.

The roles were reversed now. Jory stood at the foot of the steps, her boots off, her ankle wrapped with a tensor bandage. The first thing he noticed was her smile; it was the biggest smile he'd ever seen on her face. After everything she had been through, the sight of it made his heart expand.

He was down the steps in a flash, wrapping his arms around her waist and raising her, spinning her around. "We did it!" he told her. He put her down gingerly and embraced her. After everything they had been through together, he realized that he never wanted to let her go.

She pulled back. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment before their lips connected.

"Get a room, you two!"

They turned to see Dean and Roman standing behind them. Seth smiled. "To what do I owe this?"

"Don't look at me – this guy over here wanted to congratulate you," Dean said with a shrug. Roman held out his fist. Seth bumped it. His eyes shot over to Dean, who put his hands up in surrender. "Don't look at me – I don't bump fists with scumbags."

"Still, man?"

"What, you think things are cool because you think we had a moment earlier?" Dean asked. Seth shook his head, unable to stop the smile. Dean was confused now.

"Never change, Ambrose." He looked at the woman under his arm. "If you'll excuse us, I'm going to get cleaned up and get this one off her foot."

"You coming to the after-party?" Roman asked. Seth shrugged.

"We're going to make an appearance," Jory jumped in. "Renee wouldn't let me skip it. But after that, I think we've got plans."

"Gross," Dean said, grimacing. Roman had to bite back a laugh at the expression on Jory's face.

"Wow. For your information, we're going back to the hotel to eat ice cream. Like we do after every crazy night." She grimaced. "Please don't think of us like that. I have a hard enough time looking you in the eye."

Seth and Roman broke into a fit of laughter. Dean threw up his hands, murmuring something under his breath as he walked down the hallway, jamming his hands in his pockets. Roman bumped fists with Seth once again. Later on in the night, Roman had a match against the Undertaker, and they both knew it was going to be a huge match, set to go on last. "She's...this one's a keeper," Roman laughed. "I'll see you guys later."

"Good luck out there tonight," she offered. Seth nodded.

"Thanks." Turning, Roman made his way down the hall. "Deano, wait up!"

They watched Roman meet up with Dean before they disappeared. Jory rested her head against Seth's chest. "So...the day is saved. Hunter and Stephanie have been defeated. What happens now?" she asked.

"I don't know. But I think, for now, I'm okay with that," he told her, pulling her close. "We'll cross that bridge tomorrow night on _Raw_."


End file.
